Rapid Relief From Emotional Distress

By James E. Campbell, M.D.

A new, clinically proven method for getting over depression and other emotional problems without prolonged or expensive therapy.

The ideas in this book will help you
- Understand how “change strategies” are actually detrimental to you.
- Define words in ways that help to understand and resolve problems.
- Become more effective in letting go of psychological pain.
- See how your thinking creates your psychological pain.
- Identify the roll language has in complicating your life.
- Take action through the ACT formula.
- Help you apply the Choice System of thinking.
- Get rid of the anger experience.
- Create better self-esteem.
- Put response-ability into practice.
- Learn techniques to get relief in nearly any situation.
- To feel better.

This is Book One in Dr. Campbell's four-book Rapid Relief Series.

• Language: English
• Publisher: UCS PRESS
• Release date: Dec 15, 2012
• ISBN: 9780943247601

James E. Campbell, M.D.

James E. Campbell, M. D. was born in farm country in Middle Western Illinois. He graduated co-valedictorian from Warsaw High School. He then went to MacMurray College in Jacksonville , IL. for three years before being accepted to University of Iowa, University of IL. and St. Louis University Medical schools. He chose to go to St. Louis University, and then to Michael Reese in Chicago for his basic three year adult psychiatric residency training.In 1971, after two years in the Air Force, he set up private practice in Phoenix, Arizona. Because of the rapid turnover of patients in his office, an outcome of the use of rapid relief principles, he decided to extend the nature of his practice by taking a two-year child fellowship at UCLA. It was here that he met Dr. Gary Emery who he later collaborated with to write the original Rapid Relief from Emotional Distress.Web site: http://www.rapidreliefseries.comCall 602-439-2400 to find out if Dr. Campbell is available for an appointment; also, to order print editions of his books.

Book preview

A new, clinically proven method for getting over depression & other emotional problems without prolonged or expensive therapy.

Rapid Relief from Emotional Distress has been edited and revised into a shorter, quicker-to-read book reflecting my desire to get you the information now, rather than later. The ideas in this book will help you

- Understand how change strategies are actually detrimental to you.

- Define words in ways that help to understand and resolve problems.

- Become more effective in letting go of psychological pain.

- See how your thinking creates your psychological pain.

- Identify the roll language has in complicating your life.

- Take action through the ACT formula.

- Help you apply the Choice System of thinking.

- Get rid of the anger experience.

- Create better self-esteem.

- Put response-ability into practice.

- Learn techniques to get relief in nearly any situation.

- To feel better.

Change thinking is REALLY BAD for your mental health.

James E. Campbell M.D

Rapid Relief Series: Book One

Rapid Relief From Emotional Distress

By James E. Campbell M.D.

Published by UCS PRESS

UCS PRESS is an imprint of MarJim Books

PO Box 12797

Prescott, AZ 86304-2797

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2008 & 2012 by James E. Campbell M.D.

ISBN 978-0-943247-60-1

Cover design by Kevin Koestner

This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Dedication

Dedicated to all my patients over the years who have allowed me to practice on them, who have shown me when I was doing something useful by getting better, and who have insisted I get it right by returning.

Acknowledgments

I wish to thank the following people:

My wife Sharon Campbell, who has tolerated my hours of writing and rewriting; and for her help in the final editing of all my books.

Suzanna and KC Koestner, for their work on the cover and formatting of my four books.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1: How to get Rapid Relief

Chapter 2: Know that You Create Your Psychological Pain

Chapter 3: Know the Difference between Change and Choice

Chapter 4: Lying

Chapter 5: How to Build Intimacy

Chapter 6: Life & Labels: The Three Umpires

Chapter 7: Separate the Choice World from the Change World

Chapter 8: Identifying your Psychology Self in the Physical World

Chapter 9: Responsibility

Chapter 10: Accountability

Chapter 11: Relief for Life

Chapter 12: Other Concepts to help get rid of Psychological Pain

Chapter 13: Emotional Crisis Management

Chapter 14: Influences on Your Acceptor

Chapter 15: Thinking Strategies

Chapter 16: How to Create What You Want

Chapter 17: Strategies for Taking Action

Chapter 18: Suggestions on Reading Articles & Books

Chapter 19: The Dilemma of Being Delusional

Chapter 20: How to Pick a Therapist

***

Introduction

I have undertaken to rewrite aspects of the original book because with time comes further insights. I also wanted to reduce the size of the book, so that not only the information but the book itself would reflect a rapid event. If I looked at book on rapid relief that was over 150 pages long, I would think it might take me too long just to read the book. I have also made a small change in the manner of reporting. It appears socially correct for counselors, therapists, and psychologists to refer to people they work with as clients. That designation does not set well with me, and because of that, when I am referring to individuals I work with they are referred to by the time-tested designation of patient. The reference to people as patients does not in any way intend to demean anyone, or exalt anyone, but is a reflection of the very special bond that doctor and patient have enjoyed since the birth of medicine, and which managed care is doing it’s best to destroy.

Disclaimer: I realize I do not have the backing of any large drug company grant or university setting and therefore my thirty eight years of treating patients probably is not seen as leading to any scientific, or as we say now Evidence Based, conclusions. I have some real concerns about the direction that psychiatry as a field has gone over the past 15-20 years. My initial training in psychiatry was in a psychoanalytic program (Michael Reese Hospital). Very little medication was used to treat patients in that setting. Now, I see almost all people being treated with medicine, and very few are treated with therapy. The managed care entities contributed to that by not being willing to pay psychiatrists to do psychotherapy. The result is a lot of people are on medications that probably do not need them.

When I entered the real world, I was not prepared by my training to treat the many patients who needed medicine. Then, I found a form of therapy that actually reduced my need to use medications by nearly half, or more. Currently, I see people being severely over treated for conditions described as metabolic, or medical, that I routinely treat using brief psychotherapy interventions. In the thirty-eight years I have been in practice I have seen the pendulum swing from one extreme to another; I like neither.

I have elected to alter the format of the first book, from the original, in a couple ways; I hope I have created a more readable edition. I have separated out the basic information I want everyone to know, from both the Exercises and Case Reports. It is my hope that the information would be more quickly accessible to the reader. I originally conceived a book having about 150 pages. The original editors, however, had other ideas, and they won. This was why a lot of the exercises and case reports were added. Since it was published, people have commented to me about the book, and I was somewhat surprised at how often they commented positively about the exercises. I did not want to exclude them in this version, but I did want the exercises to stand on their own merit. Therefore, I created an internet site (http://www.rapidreliefseries.com) where those who are interested can get a copy of the workbook if they would like for a small fee.

Case reports, by virtue of the need to maintain patient confidentially, have to be disguised, or altered, in some way to keep real patients from being identifiable. This part has always made me somewhat uncomfortable, because it is not a reflection of total accuracy in reporting; yet any single report I have included has the ability to reflect the essence of what either Gary, or I, may have seen in our offices on numerous occasions. I expect I am more uncomfortable with this form of writing than any of the readers, and for those who find a description of the working through process helpful, I have also grouped the case reports for easy reading; they will also be available on the internet.

Chapter 1: How to get Rapid Relief

If you suffer from hurt, dissatisfaction, jealousy, frustration, resentment, helplessness, hopelessness demoralization, anger, guilt, shame, anxiety, depression or are distressed over work, love, money, health, and a host of other problem, you are one of the walking wounded. You may be able to get up each day, eat breakfast, go to work, come home, eat dinner, and go to bed, but you’re in pain. If you would like to learn the necessary steps that get rid of all of these life issues keep reading.

You may believe that you need something to change in order to get relief (I need to have my job back; I need her to love me; I need to get myself to stop drinking), but actually it’s your need to change reality that causes your pain. Remove this need for self, situation or other to be different" and you eliminate the pain.

How you love, work, and play depends on whether you operate from a system focused on the need for self, situation or others to be different or from a system where you create what you want by means of choice, movement, or selection. Let go of the belief that you must change yourself, others, or the world, and you will eliminate much of your stress and distress. Once you decide to design your life by choice, you make a quantum leap into a richer, more satisfying life.

Rapid relief is possible! Psychological pain is optional!

Most people have major life problems: divorces, bankruptcies, deaths of loved ones, failed hopes and dreams. How quickly one switches out of their distress isn’t related to the perceived magnitude of their life problem, but rather to how quickly they can get into a state of acceptance, and out of a state of need. Getting out of need does not solve the life problem immediately, but it does stop the psychological pain related to the perception of need. This is a good deal in my opinion.

Some people with major losses (e.g., the death of a spouse) can eliminate their distress relatively quickly; others with minor problems (a job they dislike) may take much longer. But no matter what the emotional distress, once we begin to create our lives by becoming aware and making choices, we get relief from the psychological pain.

When I served as a psychiatrist for the Air Force in Puerto Rico, I had a glimpse of the possibility of rapid relief for some conditions. In my psychiatric residency at Michael Reese Hospital in Chicago, I had treated patients for one, two, or three years. In the Air Force, however, there was a need to make rapid decisions about a person’s condition, and to provide a quick treatment for any problem that existed, so the service man could get back to work.

During this assignment I had a rapid recovery from an airman. For three consecutive nights he had been treated for panic attacks in the emergency room of the base hospital. On the fourth morning I received a call from the chief of the medical unit; they wanted me to work this airman into my schedule, because the nightly panic attacks were disrupting his work. I was booked solid that day, so could give him only a few minutes between appointments.

I skipped the formal psychiatric interview when he came in and simply asked what was bothering him. He said he felt extremely uncomfortable working indoors; I pulled out a prescription pad and wrote on it that he was to be given an outdoor job for the time being, and then I made an appointment to see him at the next available time.

When I did see him again, he was doing fine. After seeing the prescription, the airman’s commanding officer had given him a job outside for a few days. Later, the officer asked the airman to work inside again, where he was greatly needed. However, he gave him the option of returning outside, if he felt panicked again. The airman agreed and returned to his regular job where he was able to work without difficulty. Becoming aware of his choices (to work indoors or outdoors) enabled him to accept the situation and make a choice (to work indoors). He stopped trying to control his anxiety, which actually escalated it, and made a different choice instead; his panic attacks stopped.

If I had used Ativan, or Xanax, I would have felt they were responsible for his rapid recovery. More accurately, what helped him was the same event that caused the issue in the first place: The cognitive bombshell of have to. Over time have to has become more, and more, important to me as a cause of psychiatric disorders. Subconsciously, this, and other similar events, created for me a conceptual challenge as to what constitutes a mental Illness, and how it should be approached therapeutically. Is this type of symptom deserving of a mental health diagnosis, or is it simply a normal product of a particular way of thinking? When the thinking is altered, it alters the symptom.

Rapid relief from emotional distress is possible, because both the distress and the relief come from you. Events, and people, don’t cause your psychological world of experience, or feelings. If you let events, or other people, determine your psychological world, you will always be shoved around by those forces. To feel good, you will either have to struggle to change people, external and internal events, or be stuck waiting for them to change. You could be miserable for the rest of your life, because many events in your life can never be changed. Once you understand you have a choice to create and expand your own life, you’ll begin to feel relief. The only energy you need to expend is the energy to stay alert to the choices you have. No matter how bad you feel (psychologically) right now; you have the key to relief in your mind.

Seven steps to Immediate Relief:

1. Understand that you create your psychological pain.

2. Understand the difference between change and choice.

3. Use the ACT Formula, discussed on page 7.

4. Be precise in your language.

5. Use critical opportunities to increase your skill at making choices.

6. Understand the difference between cause and effect and sequential ordering of events.

7. Be aware that physical and psychological worlds work with different principles, and that they have different languages associated with them.

Chapter 2: Know that You Create Your Psychological Pain

This may cause some consternation, but please keep reading! Sometimes at this point people will want to debate about what is true. Is it true we create our own psychological pain? The truthful answer is, I don’t know. What I do know for certain is that accepting the belief that we create our own thoughts, feelings and actions, makes a major difference in the bottom line (our life experience). It is like the debate about free will. No one can prove if there is free will. What we know is that the lives of people who believe in free will seem very different from those who do not believe in free will. A similar thing can be said about the belief in an afterlife, in God, etc. The difference in our beliefs appears sometimes to be culturally determined. In the United States we have a proverb: Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. This reflects the point of view that words do not have power in them to cause injury. In India there is a proverb, The wounds from sticks and stones will heal, but those from words may never heal. This reflects the point of view that it is words that have the most power to harm a person. Look closely at the countries that have this philosophy, and then look at how many years they have been at war with their neighbors. Listen to the commentaries on what the disagreements are between them, and see if you can pick up the form of the proverb they are practicing.

The first step toward rapid relief is to realize what you are doing to create your pain. Part of our emotional pain is a product of a blame way of thinking. We often experience this in the form of an idea that Others (or events) need to change, because they are responsible for our thoughts, feelings, and actions, and that I need to be on a constant lookout, because I am responsible for others’ thoughts, feelings, and actions.

When you are caught up in this belief system (a blame system), you will experience one, or more, of the following inevitable & unpleasant emotional reactions:

1. Hurt—Why did they have to say that to me?

2. Dissatisfaction—Life is not worth living when you feel like I do!

3. Disapproval—You could have done better, if you had only tried.

4. Jealousy—You were so busy thinking about them, you forgot my wishes.

5. Waiting –They have to change, before I can feel better.

6. Frustration—Why don’t they change?

7. Helplessness—I can’t change my feelings.

8. Hopelessness—You can’t help me do better.

9. Resentment—I hate them for making me feel this way.

10. Sense of Failure—I try, but I can’t make it different.

11. Demoralization—No one seems able to help me.

12. Depression—I should be able to make them change; I can’t change them, so I’m a loser. (Ranges from helpless to rage)

13. Superficial Communication—I can’t say what I want; because, if I do, I’ll hurt someone’s feelings.

14. Intimacy issues—I try to be independent and avoid everyone, but then I feel cut off, vulnerable, and lonely. (Getting close makes me vulnerable; it is best that I stay away.)

15. Failure to develop a good sense of self—Because I let outside events and people determine my life, I don’t know who, or what, I am. I am not in touch with my self, or my own needs.

The products of this belief system are listed somewhat in progression from the least to the most troublesome. People often follow them in the order listed. One can start with simple waiting and hurt (My husband shouldn’t have done that) and can fall all the way into a clinical depression (Nobody loves me; my life is one failure after another). But you can quickly eliminate these emotional reactions once you get out of the blame system of thinking. Stop your efforts to change something, and, instead, start to make choices that will get you what you want.

Chapter 3: Know the Difference Between Change and Choice

In the choice system you understand: I’m responsible for my thoughts, feelings, and actions; others are responsible for their thoughts, feelings, and actions.

By responsibility, I mean our ability to create and manage our own thoughts, feelings, and actions. In the choice system, you maintain accountable for all of your thoughts, feelings and actions, because you recognize that you create them, either directly, or indirectly. When you stay accountable and understand responsibility in your life, you become the primary creative force in your life. Because your choices create your experiences, you can create a huge variety of experiences by making new choices. {It is sometimes not appreciated that we really do not live in a change world; we actually live in a creation world. Today, through the choices we are making, we create the experience we will have tomorrow, and the tomorrows after that.}

Choice is not another name for change. Change is