Categorical Distinctions and Their Impact on Emotional Reactivity in Relationships

One of the first distinctions that a newborn makes is between pleasure and pain. We tend to approach conditions that bring us pleasure and avoid those that bring us pain. Philosophers and scientists Have identified this process as fundamental to adaptation. In fact children who have problems with distinguishing pleasure from pain have significantly reduced life expectancies.

The second distinction in newborn begins to understand and appreciate is the distinction between self another.

Persons with fragile personalities subject to decompensation when relationally distressed tend toward all of nothing thinking and feeling and lose contact, Dr. Linehan (1993) said, with the wisdom or their lives losing all ameliorating perspective.

This is where the power of radical acceptance comes in. Linehan talks about radically accepting one's self as s/he is as well as one's circumstances. This truly is radical.

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