emotions are often helpful, adaptive, action tendencies

1
emotions are often helpful, adaptive, action
tendencies
in the wilderness in which the human race
developed its current genetic characteristics,
individuals who had the capacity to respond to
dangerous or otherwise significant circumstances
with an adequate set of emotions, and acted
accordingly, had a better chance to survive, to
have children, and to raise them than individuals
who were deficient in that respect
Gut E Productive unproductive depression
London Routledge, 1989
but inappropriate or stuck emotions cause great
distress
alarm reactions, hypervigilance and the ability
to stand up for oneself are very important for
survival if however they are persistent or
excessive we may develop panic disorder, anxiety
states, and problems with anger similarly when
a situation becomes unsustainable the way
through is blocked, it is crucial to withdraw,
re-evaluate and choose a different way forward
if however we get stuck in this sense of
withdrawal, inadequacy, hopelessness
powerlessness, we then become clinically depressed
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development maintenance of distressed states

after a series of distressed episodes e.g. in
recurrent depression, external triggers become
less important
behaviours
body state
genetic tendencies
life events
change loss, illness
distressed state
parents and family
coping style
recent triggers
future hopes
conflict trauma, threat
life situation
experiences growing up
relationships
beliefs
vulnerability factors
triggering factors
maintaining factors