by William Taboas, M.A.
There is plenty of data showing that cognitive rigidity is linked to poor mental health. Perseveration, excessive worry, and rumination are common examples of cognitive rigidity in action. With the development of Rational Therapy, the pioneering work by Dr. Albert Ellis included both specific and broader forms of cognitive rigidity. Cognitive rigidity might sound like a mouthful, so let’s refer to it as rigid thinking, which Ellis conceptualized as stemming from persistent, obstinate, and absolutist beliefs and demands about oneself, the world, and/or other people. And to quickly review Ellis’ work, one of the aims of what eventually became Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) was to reinforce and encourage rational beliefs by practicing flexible thinking in both action and life philosophy.
Modern forms of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and iterations of CBT, such as Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) both take a cue from Ellis’ legacy when addressing rigid thinking. For instance, balancing opposing truth in dialectic work in DBT, and the practicing of wise mind (an integration of both reasonable mind and emotional mind) are examples of flexible thinking in therapeutic practice. In ACT, acceptance and defusion from the person of the unhelpful thoughts are also examples of techniques to engage in flexible thinking. From Ellis’ point of view, flexible thinking in practice would be giving up unhealthy “needs”, “shoulds”, and “oughts” in order to live rationally, act functionally, and feel emotionally healthier.
While I can continue expanding on how rigid thinking is addressed in a mental health framework, I can also give examples of how rigid beliefs lead to unhelpful emotions. As a thought experiment, think about prejudices people hold: political, racial, sexual, religious. What do prejudices have in common? I would argue that they all have rigid forms of misinformation. On top of misinformation are implicit and rigid demands: people should see it from my point of view; people should agree; people ought to know better; etc. Then there are more self-directed forms of rigid thinking: my value as a person rests on my work (i.e. my work should always be perfect); people should always love me; people should do my bidding.
So what would the rational remedy be? Here comes an “easier-said-than-done” suggestion: take a rigid demand and transform it into a more flexible preference (e.g., I would like very much for my work to be pristine, but the imperfections do not define me as a whole). And why is it “easier said than done”? Because we habitually and implicitly engage in rigid thinking at every corner. It is difficult not to, and thus, difficult to break the habit. Our minds are wired to cement ideas to make sense of the world in an easier and quicker way. But just the way habits develop over time, a new and healthier habit of engaging in flexible thinking is a matter of practice.
Now for another exercise for you to practice this week: take a belief (maybe an opinion if it makes it easier), and practice an entertaining and opposite, yet complimentary, perspective.
