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Schema Therapy

What is Schema Therapy?

Schema therapy (ST) is an integrative approach incorporating components of experiential and Gestalt treatments, attachment and object relations theories, and cognitive behavioral therapy. Since its introduction by Jeff Young in 1990, it has undergone development and improvement. One thought-to be useful method for understanding and treating personality problems is schema therapy. Jacob and Arntz (2013) and Rafaeli, Bernstein, and Young (2011) outline a few of the unique characteristics of schema therapy.  Compared to conventional CBT, ST emphasizes the evolution of present symptoms more.  ST places a strong emphasis on the therapeutic alliance and its capacity to have a corrective effect. The goal of ST is to teach patients how to recognize and address their basic emotional needs in an appropriate manner. Using experiential strategies to alter negative emotions associated with traumatic childhood experiences, ST focuses a great deal on processing memories of these experiences.

Basic concepts of Schema Therapy:

Unmet Needs :

Children have basic emotional needs, such as safety, competence, autonomy, reasonable boundaries, and playfulness, that must be met for them to grow and develop healthily. Children may create maladaptive schemas and coping techniques to deal with their unfulfilled demands when these needs are unsatisfied.

  1. Safety and attachment: Safety is the sense of being comforted, protected, and loved by someone; on the other hand, attachment refers to feelings of acceptance, love, respect, and belonging—that is, the knowledge that I am a member of this familial context.
  2. Efficiency and independence: From an early age, help the child develop the ability to be independent and self-sufficient, allowing them to manage their own affairs as their physical capacities mature and their self-perception grows.
  3. Freedom to Express: a child’s right to freely express his thoughts, feelings, and innermost thoughts, as well as his ability to think for himself and act independently without fear of repercussions.
  4. Fun time: This is a powerful and crucial aspect of any child’s life since it allows them to explore the world around them. By this, we do not mean playtime in the traditional sense, nor do we mean the mayhem that children cause, which caregivers sometimes deny them to keep them from ruining things.
  5. Realistic Boundaries: Having privacy and understanding that my body and my private property have boundaries that apply to both me and other people

Early Maladaptive Schemas :

Early Maladaptive Schemas: Within an individual’s psychological makeup, faulty cognitive frameworks known as schemas comprise feelings, ideas, behaviors, convictions, and memories. Eighteen different schemas are formed because of these aberrations. We shall now clarify each of these schemas:

  1. Abandonment and instability:

This schema comprises the belief that the person does not have any enduring figures in their life and that they will eventually be abandoned, meaning they will live a lonely and unstable life. For this reason, the main emotions experienced by these people are loss, loneliness, and threat.

  1. Emotional deprivation:

This schema entails the conviction that either there is no such thing as unconditional love or that if it existed, one cannot receive it. As a result, those who are impacted frequently feel depressed, vulnerable, weak, and in continual need.

  1. Defectiveness and shame:

the core of his schema is the idea that an individual is essentially imperfect and undeserving, and that no amount of work can make up for this humiliation and guilt. These people always feel guilty about something and like they’re flawed.

  1. Social exclusion:

This schema entails a firm conviction that one is inherently unique from others and does not fit into any community or organization.

  1. Abuse and mistrust:

individuals who adopt this schema frequently anticipate being betrayed and abused by others, and they struggle to trust institutions, other individuals, and society norms.

  1. Failure:

Unlike inferiority and shame, this schema entails the conviction that one will never succeed in achieving one’s goals, no matter how hard one tries. They consider their issues to be innate and unavoidable.

  1. Dependency or Incompetence:

This schema refers to the idea that a person is insufficient and unable to take care of themselves, and as a result, they depend on other people to take care of them.

  1. Entitlement and Grandiosity:

This schema involves a blind disregard for the needs and rights of others, coupled with a strong sense that one is unique and deserving of everything.

  1. Inadequate Restraint:

This schema entails the idea that people lack personal agency since they are powerless over their impulses, feelings, or actions.

  1. Subjugation:

People who have this schema think that to be accepted and approved, they have to put other people’s needs and wants ahead of their own.

  1. Vulnerability to pain:

This schema entails the conviction that one will inevitably suffer from bodily, psychological, or emotional pain.

  1. Unrelenting Standards:

This schema entails the idea that they have to perform and behave in accordance with extraordinarily high standards, leaving no space for errors or shortcomings.

  1. Punishment:

This schema entails the idea that people ought to suffer severe consequences for their errors, whether from others or from themselves, which causes ongoing worry and a dread of failing.

  1. Negativity and Pessimism:

This schema entails the conviction that everything in life is essentially bad, coupled with a dearth of hope and the assumption that things will go wrong.
15. Emotional Inhibition:

This schema entails the idea that feelings are weak and degrading and should be repressed to protect oneself from exposure to criticism and vulnerability.

  1. Unrelenting Standards:

This schema entails having extremely high expectations of both oneself and other people as well as a refusal to give in or settle for anything less.

  1. Approval-Seeking:

This schema entails the idea that to feel deserving and accepted, one must continuously look to others for affirmation and approval.

  1. Self-Sacrifice:

This schema entails the idea that to satisfy the demands of others, one must give up their own wants and desires in order to be accepted and stay out of trouble.

 

Schema Modes :

Child modes:

  • Vulnerable child mode:

he feels alone, thinks everyone is out to get him, that there is danger everywhere, and that no one will ever meet his needs. (Children who are abandoned, abused, shaming or humiliated, dependent, or terrified).

  • Angry Child mode:

feels a great deal of rage and frustration that his basic needs are not being satisfied. He exhibits severe behaviours when he is angry.

  • Enraged child mode:

experiences the same triggers as the Angry Child and becomes uncontrollably furious. behaviours that are hurtful and offensive to persons or things.

  • Impulsive child mode:

Impatient, he seeks out his desires in an impulsive, self-centred way. acts without thinking through the repercussions.

  • Undisciplined child mode:

has no patience for annoyance and is unable of coercing himself to complete tedious or ordinary activities. incapable of tolerating pain, discomfort, or overexertion, and he acts like a spoilt child.

  • Happy child mode:

feels safe, fulfilled, validated, and loved. He exudes competence, feels suitably independent, and maintains control. plays like a contented little child, is adventurous, upbeat, and able to respond quickly.

 

Dysfunctional parent modes:

  • Punitive Parent Mode:

harsh, judgmental, degrading, and merciless toward himself. According to him, everyone must own up to their faults and accept responsibility for them.

  • Demanding parent mode:

demanding, establishing guidelines and norms. He believes he must live up to strict standards and ideals. He feels that since he was never happy with the outcome, he needs to work even harder. is, in a sense, the voice of wisdom, constant counsel, and constant demand for high morals, religiosity, and idealism; it is also said that, for a variety of reasons, such as the social structure, family values, and customs, it is impossible to act inappropriately, as if trying to deviate from it or even trying is a departure from the prescribed context. He constantly blackmails him instead of placing blame or offering criticism.

  • Guilt- inducing parent mode:

Take on the role of the victim and convey messages of shame and blame. Since his mother is the only one who has ever loved him, the boy must always put her before himself.

 

Dysfunctional coping modes:

Surrender coping mode:

It is caving in to the schema and modifying his emotions and ideas to directly confront the schema’s anguish.

  • Compliant surrender:

Be a people-pleaser and blend in. Easily apologize despite having the right to do so.

  • Rescuer surrender:

sympathizes with the disadvantaged and goes above and above to support others without expecting anything in return.

  • Helpless surrender:

Freez displayed acquired helplessness, unable to take an action. incapable of resolving challenging circumstances.

  • Self-petty surrender:

include dwelling on issues, experiencing life-related rage, and feeling self-pitying. needing other people’s pity.

Avoidance coping mode:

Avoidance coping involves denying experiences or memories that correspond with the schema and avoiding situations that set it off.

  • space out protector:

able to steer clear of circumstances that could put him in relationships or expose him to the emotional suffering of others. He makes an early effort to isolate himself to shield himself from any suffering that might endanger him.

  • Detached protector:

lacks the capacity to avoid people, but he does have the ability to avoid feeling anything. present in circumstances and relationships, but from the start he has kept his emotions apart to avoid being impacted by anything; in some way, he has learned to be emotionally chilly to avoid feeling hurt or threatened.

  • self-soothing:

engages in compulsive or addictive behaviors that distract him from these feelings in any way and drown himself in any of them to avoid exposing himself to these uncomfortable feelings. This person frequently tries to silence or extinguish these feelings through distraction, such as binge eating or drinking excessively, playing video games excessively, becoming addicted to drugs, or forming relationships.

Overcompensation coping mode:

exhibiting the opposite behavior to combat the schema and get rid of the discomfort it causes. This causes the potential impact of a schema to be underestimated.

  • Over controller:

constantly seeks to exert control over the situation and can take many different forms, such as controlling through threats, raising a fuss, fighting, or correcting other people’s errors.

  • Bully and attack:

use force, aggressiveness, threats, and intimidation to achieve their goals. He enjoys hurting other people in a sadistic way and constantly aspires to be in a commanding position.

  • Conning and manipulative:

uses deceit, fraud, or manipulation to further his goals, which include victimizing others or evading punishment.

  • Predator:

removes dangers, competitors, barriers, or adversaries with a callous, merciless, and calculated manner.

  • Self-aggrandizer:

feels that he deserves special rights since he is better than other people. Regardless of what other people may think, he is adamant that he should be allowed to do or own anything he desires. To boost his self-esteem, he brags and disparages others.

  • Approval seeking:

the act of using exaggerated conduct, erotomania, or grandiosity to win the attention and approval of others. and tries to win others over or placate them, inflate their interest, and comply with their requests to avoid incurring their wrath