I personally feel one of my biggest schemas is entitlement/grandiosity but this was actually low on the list when I took the test. I also am not a narcissist because I am constantly working to make changes related to my behavior and life and know I am wrong ALOT lol But I also think I am right a lot and should not be kept from doing what I want to most of the time... However I use this schema all the time instead of the other more painful schemas I scored higher on. I wonder if this schema is used a lot because it protects one in more of an aggressive manner so they will be less likely to be hurt and taken advantage of.. especially in those who have been abused physically or mentally as a young child. I don’t think everyone is narcissistic that uses this schema often to cope with triggering events. I feel this schema is used as a first line of defense as is causes anger more than depression, rejection or pain that is associated with some of the other more emotional schemas. So I feel often I am using a 2 layered schema... What are your thoughts on this ?
Spot on in my opinion. Going to anger is much more acceptable and also lauded in many workplaces I've encountered in working-class Australia as a guy. Hence I return to it for ease of use and acceptability. People these days enjoy gripes over other displays of pain manifest, they (working class men) can participate with you in anger, they and I struggle to participate in other emotional displays. It protects us but also gives us more external identity, which in turn assists us in looking for validation to sate us over other more painful routes.
In different situations/relationships we can have different schemas get activated. Also acting in a self-sacrificing way depletes us to the point of then possibly shifting into acting in an entitled way and then feeling guilty and then jumping back into self-sacrifice (on and on!)
I would say: Yes. Anyone that says otherwise hasn't experienced ego loss or death due to psychedelics. Often the term 'ego loss' for drug therapy is used for MDMA for example, a non-psychedelic and then people rationalise that total loss of self provides no platform for which to note one's maladaptive schemas. However, Psilocybin in therapy doesn't eradicate the ego and all ones lens in moderate doses to the point of just feeling good as a non-ego'd being, it allows one to be in a more less extreme (more visceral) version of one's common schemas and to undress them, including 'float backs' to the initial creation of the non-beneficial schema. So it doesn't just make breakthroughs (due to pass memories arising) easier to initiate, it allows a conscious state of calm whilst working through the inner mechanisms of the schema and how it manifests the problem behaviours. If Australia offered psychedelics with schema therapy then I'd sign up in a second. Unfortunately, it's illegal here and in my experience, therapists have extremely low understanding and tolerance of such suggestions to help access walkthroughs and understanding of one's behaviour. This isn't due to ignorance of the studies nor out of malevolence to the substances and their therapeutic potential but due to the fact those in medical professions have not had the time/possibility/exposure to the substances in their personal lifes. This is obviously a generalisation as I've met doctors etc who've experimented with drugs, but often it was young and without schema therapy or any therapy in mind at all. Hope that anecdotal ramble helps you look further into it for yourself and your practice.
I love the empathic confrontation example and the reminder to use leverage. Thanks ladies.
Glad you enjoyed it!
I personally feel one of my biggest schemas is entitlement/grandiosity but this was actually low on the list when I took the test. I also am not a narcissist because I am constantly working to make changes related to my behavior and life and know I am wrong ALOT lol
But I also think I am right a lot and should not be kept from doing what I want to most of the time...
However I use this schema all the time instead of the other more painful schemas I scored higher on. I wonder if this schema is used a lot because it protects one in more of an aggressive manner so they will be less likely to be hurt and taken advantage of.. especially in those who have been abused physically or mentally as a young child. I don’t think everyone is narcissistic that uses this schema often to cope with triggering events. I feel this schema is used as a first line of defense as is causes anger more than depression, rejection or pain that is associated with some of the other more emotional schemas. So I feel often I am using a 2 layered schema... What are your thoughts on this ?
A. Evans RN yes you have got a great understanding of how Entitlement can help protect us from more vulnerable and painful schemas.
Spot on in my opinion. Going to anger is much more acceptable and also lauded in many workplaces I've encountered in working-class Australia as a guy. Hence I return to it for ease of use and acceptability. People these days enjoy gripes over other displays of pain manifest, they (working class men) can participate with you in anger, they and I struggle to participate in other emotional displays. It protects us but also gives us more external identity, which in turn assists us in looking for validation to sate us over other more painful routes.
How can someone score very high on both entitlement and self-sacrifice schemas? They seem like opposites
In different situations/relationships we can have different schemas get activated. Also acting in a self-sacrificing way depletes us to the point of then possibly shifting into acting in an entitled way and then feeling guilty and then jumping back into self-sacrifice (on and on!)
So very helpful, thank you!!!
Can psychedelics help speed up schema therapy? Maybe make it more cost effective
I would say: Yes. Anyone that says otherwise hasn't experienced ego loss or death due to psychedelics. Often the term 'ego loss' for drug therapy is used for MDMA for example, a non-psychedelic and then people rationalise that total loss of self provides no platform for which to note one's maladaptive schemas.
However, Psilocybin in therapy doesn't eradicate the ego and all ones lens in moderate doses to the point of just feeling good as a non-ego'd being, it allows one to be in a more less extreme (more visceral) version of one's common schemas and to undress them, including 'float backs' to the initial creation of the non-beneficial schema.
So it doesn't just make breakthroughs (due to pass memories arising) easier to initiate, it allows a conscious state of calm whilst working through the inner mechanisms of the schema and how it manifests the problem behaviours.
If Australia offered psychedelics with schema therapy then I'd sign up in a second. Unfortunately, it's illegal here and in my experience, therapists have extremely low understanding and tolerance of such suggestions to help access walkthroughs and understanding of one's behaviour. This isn't due to ignorance of the studies nor out of malevolence to the substances and their therapeutic potential but due to the fact those in medical professions have not had the time/possibility/exposure to the substances in their personal lifes.
This is obviously a generalisation as I've met doctors etc who've experimented with drugs, but often it was young and without schema therapy or any therapy in mind at all.
Hope that anecdotal ramble helps you look further into it for yourself and your practice.