Dr. David Burns

Oh, I see. Uh-huh. Everyone will reject me. And then if that were true, take it one more step, then is there something negative about that? I mean, it sounds kind of awful, but what would you be afraid of? You mean everyone in the world or everyone who knew you or all human beings?

Oh, you'd be wealthy, though, because you'd be like the most famous celebrity in the world. I'd be very special. You'd appear on talk shows and get tremendous honoraria.

Oh, you'd be wealthy, though, because you'd be like the most famous celebrity in the world. I'd be very special. You'd appear on talk shows and get tremendous honoraria.

Okay.

Okay.

So then we review the list. I might fail my test. and then what's the worst that could happen? Then I might fail my class. Then I'll never have a good job. That would mean I'm a failure, and that would mean that I'm worthless. And if I was worthless, everyone would reject me, and then I'd be miserable forever. And now let's turn this back to... Our expert of experts, Rhonda Barofsky.

So then we review the list. I might fail my test. and then what's the worst that could happen? Then I might fail my class. Then I'll never have a good job. That would mean I'm a failure, and that would mean that I'm worthless. And if I was worthless, everyone would reject me, and then I'd be miserable forever. And now let's turn this back to... Our expert of experts, Rhonda Barofsky.

And what are this individual's self-defeating beliefs?

And what are this individual's self-defeating beliefs?

Is that a self-defeating belief on the list? Yes. It's perfectionism. Oh, perfectionism. Uh-huh. Oh, yeah. If I'm not perfect, I guess, or if I fail, my world will fall apart, something like that? Right.

Is that a self-defeating belief on the list? Yes. It's perfectionism. Oh, perfectionism. Uh-huh. Oh, yeah. If I'm not perfect, I guess, or if I fail, my world will fall apart, something like that? Right.

Yeah, that's a good one.

Yeah, that's a good one.

Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Fear of being alone.

Fear of being alone.

How about perceived perfectionism, Rhonda?