The Theory of Recovery Psychology/Unit 4/Epilogue

Five principles of help

In anything that is designed to help a person; whether it be advice, religion, psychology, counseling, philosophy or any other endeavor meant to help a person there are five basic principles of what can be said that is meant to help. These five principles are universal concepts in counseling. If a person were to live forever and not accept these five principles in some form or degree, they could remain in counseling for all eternity and never recover, never heal or get better. Regardless of the therapuetic modality whether it is psychotropic medication, any kind of behavioristic conditioning, desensitisation therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy or anger management the following principles will be involved in some form. Every self-help book ever written and every motivational speaker who has ever spoken has said these five basic principles. These principles appear in some way in the bible and all other religious text or scripture. These principles appear in the writings of Plato, the philosopher, and in zen buddist literature. These statements appear over and over through out the history of one person trying to help another through out the time span of human civilization.

• Opposition is necessary: If a person is wrong in about their information but continues to state incorrect information as fact, and such a person continues stating incorrect information that person continues to be wrong. However if the person is corrected, and the person corrected respects constructive criticism they can learn the correct information. This is the first step to ever being right, is to know when you are wrong. This can be stated as "know thy own self to be true."

• There is no growth without pressure: This can be summed up by the statement "no pain, no gain." Human beings are prone to take the path of least resistance. Unhealthy behaviors like smoking, drinking or eating junk food are easy, exercise, a diet of good nutrition and healthy lifestyle are difficult by comparison.

• One needs to overcome the need to be liked by others: This is often said in many different ways. One of the most common is that a person has to like themself before others can like the person. Often the need to be liked can be a barrier to being liked.

• Comfort can be dangerous: A person in an abusive relationship is the prime example of this concept. The person in an abusive relationship stays in the abusive situation becuase they are in a comfort zone, in order for a person to grow they must move out of their "comfort zone."

• Ruthless honesty: A person needs to be ruthlessly honest with themselves and not prone to self-deception. Self-deception is the biggest psychological threat to persons mental health.