Cognitive Dissonance The Battle Between What We Think, Feel, and Do
These manipulative behaviors lead to significant cognitive dissonance within the victim. On one hand, they recall the overwhelming affection and positive Substance abuse experiences from the love bombing phase and believe the narcissist genuinely loves them. On the other hand, the breadcrumbing phase creates confusion and self-doubt as the narcissist’s inconsistent behavior clashes with the victim’s beliefs about love and relationships.
Skill #22 Cognitive Dissonance: Mind the Gap
This article explores the relationship between cognitive dissonance and addiction, shining a light on the psychological struggle individuals face when dealing with addictive behaviors. In what we call the primary reduction stage (see left-hand side of Figure 1), the intensity of the initial negative arousal will be the first factor influencing how people reduce dissonance (cf. Sheppes’ model). The intensity of the initial negative arousal is in turn dependent on the magnitude of dissonance (i.e., all dissonant cognitions/all consonant cognitions + all dissonant cognitions), and whether the situation is novel or familiar. That is, the larger the magnitude of dissonance the more intense the negative arousal, however, novel situations may be more emotionally intense because the individual lacks an automated response to the dissonant stimuli. Note that the magnitude of dissonance and the novel-familiar dimension of the situation independently influence negative arousal in our model. For instance, every time you eat meat while trying to uphold a vegan diet produces more or less the same magnitude of dissonance, but the more often you do it the easier it might be to handle the cognitive conflict.
- She says that reaching more consistency in your thoughts and behaviors will create a world that’s less harmful, less likely to trigger negative emotions, and therefore, less problematic.
- In abusive relationships, what is cognitive dissonance plays a significant role.
- People often experience cognitive dissonance when their actions do not align with their beliefs or morals.
- Others might struggle with the cognitive demands of the therapy, particularly if they’re dealing with severe mental health issues.
- Therapists provide tools and coping mechanisms to manage conflicting thoughts and emotions, fostering a more coherent mindset.
How Cognitive Dissonance Feels
By seeking therapy, individuals can reduce anxiety, enhance decision-making, and lead more fulfilling cognitive dissonance treatment lives. Recognizing and addressing cognitive dissonance is not just beneficial—it’s a vital step toward achieving mental clarity and emotional resilience. Cognitive dissonance is a psychological phenomenon that occurs when a person holds two or more contradictory beliefs, values, or attitudes at the same time.
How does cognitive dissonance relate to addiction?
For those grappling with workaholism or dealing with the constant cycle of rumination, I offer practical solutions grounded in psychological principles. A strong support network can provide encouragement, guidance, and understanding as you navigate the complexities of cognitive dissonance treatment. By gaining a deeper understanding of the root causes of cognitive dissonance, you can develop targeted strategies to alleviate the discomfort and work towards alignment. Cassandra Sierra is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Certified Addiction Professional with over 30 years of experience in mental health and addiction recovery. She has served as Director of Mental Health Services in Palm Beach County, FL, and co-founded the Miracles Club, Inc., supporting recovery since 2001.
His theory proposed that we have an inner drive to be in a state of harmony which we strive to achieve and maintain by aligning our attitudes, values, thoughts and behaviours. This is known as the principle of cognitive consistency and is something we need in order to be in the world. Cognitive dissonance is the tension that arises when there is a conflict between a belief and a desire or behavior. It occurs when individuals hold opposing beliefs and experience psychological stress as a result. Another challenging issue is the categorization of reduction strategies, which has also been a notoriously difficult task in the coping literature (Skinner et al., 2003). The empirical data clearly shows that, for instance, many individuals used attitude change and trivialization (see Webb et al., 2012, on the simultaneous use of different emotion-regulation strategies).
Since they work all day in an office and spend a great deal of time sitting, it is difficult to change their behavior. Cognitive dissonance can even influence how people feel about and view themselves, leading to negative feelings of self-esteem and self-worth. When faced with two similar choices, we are often left with feelings of dissonance because both options are equally appealing.
Feasibility of the Emotion Regulation Perspective on Dissonance-Reduction Processes
Sharing experiences and learning from others’ journeys can provide valuable insights and reduce the isolation that often accompanies cognitive dissonance. All of those routes help you get back to a mental state without conflict, where you feel like your beliefs, values, and actions are all in harmony. But each way of reducing dissonance requires that you recognize what feelings you have and do something about it, Curry adds. It completely changes a person’s moral compass, which is why the choice they make to engage in these addictive behaviors is stronger than just willpower. The term cognitive dissonance was first coined in 1957 by Psychologist Leon Festinger. In his book titled, A Theory of Cognitive Dissonance, Festinger’s hypothesis was centered around the notion that people can develop a pre-existing condition in which they have to always check that they’re acting in accordance with what they believe.
Change Our Behavior to Line Up With Our Values
Understanding the underlying causes can provide valuable insights into how to address and resolve the dissonance. Now that we understand the process, let’s explore how cognitive dissonance therapy can be applied to various mental health challenges. To hone in on the most important cognitive distortions, start by looking for negative emotions. Think of these situations like alarms, alerting you that cognitive distortions are nearby.