The Human Machine's "Anger Light" - How Trending Topics become Treatment Topics

The recent Supreme Court decision regarding same-sex marriage has initiated a great deal of talk on the topic, especially in social media. A great deal of anger has been expressed on both sides of the issue. Of course anger expression is a healthy part of the human machine and not by definition a bad thing, unless wielded haphazardly. The purpose of this post is to explore how following Christ might provide a path to authentically express anger (Truth), while remaining respectful of others, self, and God (Love).

Why Anger?

Anger represents the body’s protest against a perceived injustice, so this emotion makes sense given that many of the arguments are infused with beliefs about justice, morality, freedom and liberty. Interestingly, passages from The Bible have been quoted on both sides of the argument, even by those that self-identify as non-believers. One scripture I have not seen quoted yet is Ephesians 4:26, “Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your wrath.” The difficult balance for a Christian in this conversation is how to maintain the balance Scripture calls us to follow, the feat that Jesus performed so perfectly –speaking both Truth in Love simultaneously (Eph. 4:15).  Both sides of this controversy perceive injustice. The LGBT community demands to be allowed the same rights as any other group for access to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” with the person they love. The Christian community demands respect for the sanctity of a Faith-Based construct given by God, “Marriage as a union between one man and one wife.”

You might be asking, “What does this controversy have to do with therapeutic treatment?”  Knowing why anger is appropriate for this topic, how to be in the presence of anger without giving up who you are, and how to express anger in such a way that it is a form of worship to God and a blessing to others and yourself, are all important topics in treatment for individuals and for families. Skills for using anger well are especially important considering many people have only seen the power of anger used as rage, or in attempts to control others.

Natural vs. Healing Response

When my car’s Fuel light comes on the healing response (to turn the light off) would be to put gas in the car.  My natural response is often to drive faster and try to get to my destination before running out of gas. Unfortunately the natural response does not resolve the issue, and often makes the situation worse.  In the same way anger is elicited by the presence of perceived injustice. The natural response to injustice/anger is to attempt to control others or events. The healing response is to respect self and others. Value and respect are most easily established via communication, respecting the choices and boundaries for all parties (including self), and a future post topic: forgiveness.

Path to Freedom

Risk of pain escalates when fear added to the anger results in rage. Rage can quickly take both parties beyond reason and respect, and set the stage for more de-valuing words. Scripture suggests that True Love drives out fear (1John 4:16-18). True Christian Love is about owning and respecting freewill choice, not control of another person. The primary choice found throughout Scripture is to follow, or not follow God, to fall in Love with Him if you feel so inclined, and then serve Him out of that love, if you chose to – or not.  Dr. Paul Meier very eloquently suggested that true “Love” is about “choice.” More than anything, God desires to be in a Love relationship with us, and that we are able to freely choose whether we enter that love relationship with Him, or not. Freedom to choose also means freedom to choose, and own, consequences.  God gave man the power to choose life or death for himself: to Love God by not eating from two trees (two trees out of an entire forest) or reject God by not following Him (by eating the fruit of one of the two trees).  God then respected mankind’s choice to reject Him by allowing Adam and Eve to own the consequences they chose in their actions. 

So What - At the Individual Level:

Each of us has been given a choice: “…I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses.” (Deut. 30:19). God makes His hope clear: “Now choose life, so that you and your children may live, and that you may love the Lord your God, Listen to His voice, and hold fast to Him.” (Deut. 30:20), and “The Lord will again delight in you and make you prosperous…,” (Deut. 30:9).

What does this have to do with Treatment – individual choice IS freedom, and choice is a skill that requires practice and exercise. We work on skills to: create choice, make choices in stressful surroundings, and carry out choices to completion, even in the face of opposition or risk of physical harm by those around you.

So What - At the relationship level:

God encourages us to serve each other, not control each other (Lk 22:24). Service does not mean as a slave that must carry out every whim of a human master, but rather in the best interest of the other person, with God as judge as to what “best interest” means.

What does this have to do with Treatment – When God is the arbiter rather than man, Christian Marriage becomes a completely different construct than a Social/State marriage contract. In treatment, part of the focus might include skills for falling in Love with God first, so that in the Christian Marriage there can be literally three spouses – husband, wife, and God (Eph. 5:29-33).

So What - At a Social Level:

Sadly, this topic has been surrounded by confusion and fears expressed as “truth” and has resulted in division and pain within families, churches, and individuals. For others, there is an internal judge that constantly jabs at them with a burning poker. What does this have to do with Therapeutic Treatment?  In therapy, we work to dismantle the internal judges learned from childhood and others that can horribly plague a person.

So What - At a Spirit Level:

In treatment, we explore application of skills each individual can use to have power over their own lives. Choice is power and freedom – but Choice is also a skill that requires practice and exercise. Where do I stand on this topic? If God has given freewill to all, who am I to interfere? When we meet God, I will account for my actions, not yours - just as you will account for your actions, not mine.  Even so, for those that are torn between what they believe and what they feel, and wish to be free from what they perceive as bondage – I have made it my life’s work to help them find the freedom God promised in His word. 

If you have questions about this post, reply here or give me a call, let’s talk.
If the issue has been opening wounds in your family, give me a call – let’s work together toward a goal of removing the confusion and establishing connections and freewill choices based on authentic understanding.

You can reach us at:
www.SpiritCounselingTx.com
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Copyright © 2015 Spirit Christian Counseling Centers, Inc. All rights reserved.
Aside from small quotations, the material on this site may not be republished elsewhere without expressed permission.

What does the Bible have to do with mental health?

The Bible is not a psychology textbook, nor is it a book on psychology. The text inside does suggest it is the Word of God (as the designer of the human machine), written to help humans know Him, follow Him into a life lived well and then into an infinite love relationship after death (2Tim 3:16, 1John 1:13). If this is true, then there will likely be important pieces of information contained within the pages of Scripture for practitioners of psychological healing and mental health.  Here is one example.

Matthew 15:1-18 is the story of Jesus walking into a restaurant with his students, sitting at the table and eating without first washing his hands.  The local religious leaders are incensed, not because of concerns for germs (which were not discovered until eighteen hundred years later) or hygiene – but rather because the belief at the time was that eating dirty food would defile that person’s spirit. Jesus’ response was simple – addressing the biological, psychological, and spiritual levels simultaneously:

"Do you not understand that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is eliminated? But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man” (Matt 15:17-18). One possible therapeutic application of this scriptural concept would suggest that what people choose to notice says more about them than the person they are talking about. 

So What -

Contextually, the core concept is: What comes out of the speaker’s mouth describes the speaker.  This concept can be a powerful tool in working with individuals having problems in relationships with others or in how they view themselves. This is also a powerful tool in working with marriages.  Many people approach communication as if what they hear from another person reflects something about their self. 

Path to Freedom -

So many conflicts, both marital and vocational, have to do with defending one’s self against perceived injustices. Were each member able to listen to the other person’s commentary as an authentic disclosure of that person, the motivation to defend one’s self often evaporates. 

The use of this skill can often result in a sense of peace either for the individual trying to protect themselves from the pain of verbal attacks, even when they cannot get the other person to stop. The skill also sets an important foundation in overcoming male/female language differences between husbands and wives. This specific intervention is one of the most difficult, and in therapy we work to master it. This is one of many skills, from Scripture, effective in the therapeutic setting.

Consider this for next time…

“What about those male/female language differences?”

And “What happens when the machine breaks?”

If you want more information on this topic, or want help in applying it to your relationship, you can reach us at:
www.SpiritCounselingTx.com
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Copyright © 2015 Spirit Christian Counseling Centers, Inc. All rights reserved.
Aside from small quotations, the material on this site may not be republished elsewhere without expressed permission.

The Human Machine

Before considering what happens when emotions “break,” a “bigger picture” perspective may be important.  Many people can relate to human existence as similar to a spiritual being traveling in a physical body. In this image the spirit exerts psychological “steering” control over the physical flesh-machine with the mind and will, while the body provides feedback to the mind/brain by way of emotions and internal sensations (like pain).  To arrive successfully and safely at one’s goal, it is important to know where to go (choice) and how to get there (thought). It is also important to know how the body is functioning on the way. The point of this post is that emotions can help forward movement, rather than prevent it, by functioning as a “dashboard” for how the body is operating in the moment.

When working with clients this is about the time that I remind them, even though the discussion is on “structured processes,” that in the counseling setting they must be free to choose their own outcomes. The destination they choose and the method they choose to achieve those goals remain totally up to them.  However, no matter the destination or what is encountered along the way, there are basic tools and concepts that are important for anyone to keep in mind. If a person is not aware of how these systems were designed, or taught that these tools and systems indicate something other than design, the feedback and indications provided by their bodies will not “make sense.” Without this knowledge it becomes impossible to tell the difference between “broken” and “normal,” operations, and most importantly achieving their desired goal becomes impossible.

General Outline: five inputs, two outputs…

From this schematic conceptualization of the “psychological control process” there are five environmental inputs (five senses).  Observational input from these senses is continuously fed directly into the brain for processing.  These external inputs are combined with the body’s internal awareness information (e.g. pain, balance, digestion) and compared with pre-processed (pre-conceived) expectations of what our current environment “should” be (Is our experience expected or unexpected, threatening or desirable, etc.).  The expectations are pre-processed in that their meanings were cognitively (thoughtfully) considered prior to the current situation.

Biologic Structures

Sensory input data of the environment is constantly fed to a part of the brain called the amygdala for threat assessment. Without the sensory input data of sight, smell, taste, touch, and hearing we would have no way to experience our external environment. However if a person were consciously aware of all this information all of the time, they would be exhausted. To compensate the brain is designed as a highly executive organ, meaning that higher cognitive functions in the pre-frontal cortex (PFC) are only triggered when new or unexpected input is perceived. Once a problem has been solved repeatedly, or expected via training, the anticipated process is delegated to lower automatic responses or reflex circuits (Rudy, 2008).

Once sensory input data is processed for immediate threat, or the thought-out response from the PFC is sent to adjust the amygdala’s initial evaluation, internal regulation commands are sent via the Hypothalamus to the autonomic nervous systems which regulates the body’s internal systems (heart rate, breathing, eye dilation, sexual response, etc.) in preparation for what is anticipated to happen next (Cozolino, 2006, 54).  Output signals are sent to the motor cortex for distribution to muscle and speech systems. What the person says or does influences their environment.  The person watches the environment for change (or may perceive “no change”), and the cycle repeats.

Emotions appear to have an interactive and direct relationship with the autonomic nervous system control signals (Pinel, 2011; Thompson, 2010; Siegel, 2007; Kalat & Shiota, 2007). In other words, what we call “emotion” may be the name we give to the sensations of our bodies preparing for what we expect will happen next.  Research results also indicate these “automatic responses” can bypass conscious awareness; meaning that it is possible for a person to experience an emotion before they know they are having it or why.

So What…

Emotion may be a better initial indicator as to where to look for problem sources and strength based linkages in therapy.  Conscious thought may not have been party to the environmental stimulus that caused the emotion to be triggered, e.g. “I don’t know why I felt panic.” It is for this reason that emotions serve as an important “dashboard” of indicators into how the body/machine is operating, and springboard from which to launch treatment.

  

The problem is that while emotions can indicate what is happening, they are not good sources for information on “why” an experience is happening – emotions indicate status not purpose (or reason). Are emotions always accurate indicators of what is happening in the world around us? No. If anger, fear or sadness paths are traveled often enough they may become habitual. If there is trauma during circuit development, or the circuits do not develop per the design, they may be triggered or indicate a status that is not accurate.  However, the fact that the emotional response is triggered remains an accurate indicator regarding treatment focus and direction.

Path to Freedom

The final aspect of this process, the spiritual dynamic, is a controversial one because there are some who would doubt the existence of true freewill choice, a great topic for a future post… (Lewin, et al., 2007; Naqvi, Shiv, &Bechara, 2006). 

It is choice that selects the destination, and it is choice that governs how the input/output process will be applied to the environment.  Choice is the steering wheel of the car with which the owner directs the vehicle.  Once the client knows where they want to go (choice), how they want to get there (thought), and how to gauge how their vehicle operating, choices can be made to adjust the method, destination, and expectations, and needed repairs become much more clearly focused.

As a therapist, I see my job as an effort to help each person read the gauges and use the tools that free them not only to achieve his or her destination, but flourish in their life’s journey on the way and after.

Something to Consider - Other problems occur when a person tries to establish or experience one emotion over others over the long term (years). These efforts requires to person to deny some part of their environment as a survival method.  These and more topics on “what happens when the system breaks down” will be discussed in future posts.

If you want more information on this topic, or want help in applying it to your relationship, you can reach us at:
www.SpiritCounselingTx.com

References

Cozolino, Louis. (2006). The Neuroscience of Human Relationships. New York: W. W. Norton & Company.

Kalat, James W., and Michelle N. Shiota. (2007). Emotion. 2nd ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Lee, Deborah, and Rachel Harman. (2010). The Role of Shame and Self-Critical Thinking in the Development and Maintenance of Current Threat in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy 17, 13.

Levin, Irwin P., Baba Shiv, Antoine Bechara, and Joshua A. Weller. (2007). Neural Correlates of Adaptive Decision Making for Risky Gain and Losses. Psychological Science 18(11), 959.

Nasir Naqvi, Baba Shiv, and Antoine Bechara. (2006). The Role of Emotion in Decision Making: A Cognitive Neuroscience Perspective. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 15(5), 261.

Pinel, John P. J. (2011). Biopsychology. 8th ed. Edited by Jessica Mosher. Boston: Pearson Education.

Price, David M. (2004). Re-Building Shattered Families: Disclosure, Clarification and Reunification of Sexual Abusers, Victims, and Their Families. Sexual Addiction & Compulsivity 11, 187-221.

Rudebeck, Peter H., Mark E. Walton, Angharad N. Smyth, David M. Bannerman, and Matthew F. S. Rushworth. (September 2006). Separate Neural Pathways Process Different Decision Costs. Nature Neuroscience 9(9), 1161-68.

Rudy, Jerry W. (2008). The Neurobiology of Learning and Memory. Sunderland, MA: Sinauer Associates.

Sanfey, Alan G. (2007). Decision Neuroscience: New Directions in Studies of Judgment and Decision. Current Directions in Psychological Science 16(3), 151.

Siegel, Daniel J. (2009). Emotion as Integration: A Possible Answer to the Question, What Is Emotion? In The Healing Power of Emotion: Affective Neuroscience, Development & Clinical Practice, ed. Diana Fosha, Daniel J. Siegel, and Marion F. Solomon, 145-71. New York: W. W. Norton & Co.

Steffens, Barbara A., and Robyn L. Rennie. (2006). Traumatic Nature of Disclosure for Wives of Sexual Addicts. Addiction & Compulsivity 13, 247-67.

Thompson, Curt. (2010). Anatomy of the Soul: Surprising Connections Between Neuroscience and Spirtual Practices that Can Transform Your Life and Relationships. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

Westen, Drew, Pavel S. Blagov, Keith Harenski, Clint Kilts, and Stephan Hamann. (2006). Neural Bases of Motivated Reasoning: An MRI Study of Emotional Constraints on Partisan Political Judgment in the 2004 U.S. Presidential Election. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience 18(11), 1947-58.


Copyright © 2015 Spirit Christian Counseling Centers, Inc. All rights reserved.
Aside from small quotations, the material on this site may not be republished elsewhere without expressed permission.