Mental Health Awareness: How can the ABC Model be used to Examine Our Life Experiences?

Mental health fatigue is a condition triggered by prolonged cognitive activity and it has existed prior to the pandemic. In light of the pandemic, and the extra challenges this brings to the workforce, Marshall E-Learning have launched a CPD certified course to raise awareness of mental health fatigue.

A combination of worries about Covid-19, lockdowns, working from home, home schooling, financial and health concerns as well as gyms and leisure services currently closed, it means mental health fatigue is a real issue.

This video clip from our course explores how the ABC Model can be used to examine our experiences.

The ABC Model simplifies the understanding of how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors interrelate by depicting them as a triangle. This model highlights the bi-directional nature of these psychological factors, as our feelings are influenced by our thoughts and behaviors, and vice versa. The ABC Model provides a structured approach for analyzing reactions to activating events or triggers by breaking down experiences into three elements: Activating Event, Beliefs, and Consequences. The model uses a set of questions to determine the event, beliefs, and consequences, such as what was the event, what were the beliefs associated with the event, and what were the consequences in terms of emotions and behaviors. By using the ABC Model, individuals can gain a better understanding of the relationships between their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

Video Transcription:

It can be easier to appreciate the impact of thoughts, feelings and behaviours on each other if we view the relationship between them as a triangle. These three psychological elements are interdependent and work in what we call a bi-directional way. But what does that mean? Well, how we feel is influenced by how we think about things, and this is also influenced by our behaviours. The ABC model helps us to structure our experience and break it down. The ABC model and associated techniques are used for recording reactions to activating events or triggers. Questions to ask here include, what was the event? Who was there? What did I do? And how did I feel? The belief associated with the event is then recorded by asking a different set of questions. These include questions like, what was I assuming was happening? What were my beliefs about the situation? What were others doing? And what was my role or contribution? Finally, the consequences are recorded. By asking questions like, what did I feel? In terms of anger, shame, anxiety or fear? And how did I behave?