Ellis proposed that good mental health is the result of rational thinking, defined as thinking in ways that allow people to be happy and free from pain
To Ellis, conditions like anxiety and depression result from irrational thoughts, which he defined not as illogical or unrealistic thoughts, but as any thoughts that interfere with us being happy and free from pain
A - Activating event
Ellis focused on situations in which irrational thoughts are triggered by external events
According to Ellis, we get depressed when we experience negative events and these trigger irrational beliefs e.g. failing important tests or ending relationships
B - Beliefs
Ellis identified a range of irrational beliefs
'musturbation' is the belief that we must always succeed or achieve perfection
'I-can't-stand-it-itis' is the belief that it is a major disaster when something does not go smoothly
Utopianism is the belief that life is always meant to be fair
C - Consequences
When an activating event triggers irrational beliefs there are emotional and behaviouralconsequences
E.g. if a person believes that they must always succeed and then fails at something this can trigger depression
