The 5-Part Model
Thoughts – Feelings – Action
Thoughts & Moods
- We think in different ways depending on our mood
- Current psychological research shows there are specific patterns of thinking during certain moods
- These particular thinking patterns can cause us problems because they actually help maintain and even exaggerate our moods
- Our holistic approach emphasizes the connections among mind, body, mood, behavior, and environment. We refer to this as the 5-Part Model.
Examples of common thoughts we have during certain moods
- DEPRESSION: My life’s a mess. It’s all my fault. It will never get any better.
Even though these thoughts are extremely negative, they seem accurate to us when we are depressed. This depressed thinking makes it difficult to see any positives in situations and relationships, makes us feel self-critical and hopeless, makes problem solving difficult and makes it hard to function.
[for helpful tips on dealing with depression see our MOM2 Readers Playlist from YouTube]
- ANXIETY: But What IF…
When anxious, we worry that things will get out of control, that bad things will happen. We have a lot of “What if” thoughts. We avoid things or else try to do them perfectly. Unfortunately, the more we avoid or strive for perfection, the more anxious we become. We procrastinate, we worry, and frequently we withdraw.
[for helpful tips on dealing with anxiety see our MOM2 Readers Playlist from YouTube]
- HEALTH WORRIES: I know there is something wrong with me, they just have not found it yet. There must be something wrong.
A person with health worries may think, “I know there is something wrong with me, they just have not found it yet.” When test results are negative we feel relief only briefly because anxiety returns and often increases. We are on a constant lookout for any symptoms. The more we look, the more symptoms we seem to find and continue to think, “There must be something wrong.” This constant worry makes it difficult to relax and hard to function without great fatigue.
