“Fix-It” Doesn’t Work

Goal

To understand the limitations of simply trying to fix your pain.

“Fix-It” Doesn’t Work (p. 27)

It’s likely you’ve been using a “fix-it” mentality to find a solution for the cause of your suffering, but it may not be effective. Think about what actions you take to reduce, get rid of, or control your painful thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations. Consider all the things you do to keep yourself from feeling pain. Perhaps you try not to think about certain things, stuff down your emotions, or turn to unhealthy behaviors that you find comforting, such as smoking or self-harm.

Short vs. Long-Term Benefit Exercise (pp.27; 31)

Instructions: Reflect on your “fix-it” tendencies for each item in your suffering inventory from the last lesson . How effective have you been in the short and long-term? In other words, how much immediate or long-term relief do you get from your tendency to escape, avoid, or get rid of the pain? You\'ll likely notice that although there is often some immediate benefit, the benefit is short-lived. For example, if I\'m afraid of failing, I might work extra hard to avoid this fear or pain. It helps for a little while, but then the fear resurfaces.

Reflection (Optional)

Write your thoughts down to better understand this concept.