Dear Subscribers, you are the backbone, heart, and soul of our organization. Your encouragement, wisdom, and support have been priceless to our growth and progress. We continue to build a meaningful and engaging relationship with those who need us and support us. The newsletter acts as a platform for your thoughts and contributions, showcasing your participation.
There is no newsletter for September. I am currently overwhelmed with refining the book and handling weekly edits for a tentative submission scheduled for the end of November. I am still negotiating with several publishers. Including Fulton Books, Palmetto, and McGilligan.
I will continue to publish our weekly article on the ReChanneling website but have postponed any additional recovery workshops until 2026. Of course, I continue my work with my long-term clients and am always available to assist you with any issues or consultation at ‘rmullenphd@gmail.com’.
Additionally, much of my internet information was hacked last week. Which required a flurry of setting new passwords and replacing a number of credit cards. Luckily, I keep most of my password info on a separate portable flash drive. However, some older info was still on Google Password without 2-step verification and/or Authenticator. It was Google Password that was hacked. Word of advice, use Google Password for inconsequential passwords, but keep important information on a separate portable, removable flash drive.
Thank you for your patience and understanding. Have a great month.
Dr. Mullen
Items you would like included in your newsletter can be emailed to me directly at rmullenphd@gmail.com, or you can complete the form below.
WHY IS YOUR SUPPORT SO NECESSARY AND ESSENTIAL? ReChanneling develops and conducts programs to alleviate the symptoms of social anxiety and help individuals tap into their innate potential for extraordinary living. Our unique approach focuses on understanding personality through empathy and collaboration, integrating neuroscience and psychology. This includes proactive neuroplasticity, cognitive-behavioral modification, positive psychology, and techniques designed to reclaim and rebuild self-esteem. Every contribution, no matter the size, supports individuals striving to make a positive change in their own lives and the lives of others. All donations go towards scholarships for groups and workshops.
Unable to cope with fear and uncertainty, a person resorts to denial, repression, compromise, and hides behind the mask of a false self. ― Kilroy J. Oldster, Dead Todd Scrolls
Defense Mechanisms
Understanding and applying coping mechanisms can significantly empower us to alleviate stress and reduce the release of fear and anxiety-inducing hormones. Recovery-oriented coping mechanisms, such as distractions and projecting positive outcomes, give us a sense of control when confronting fearful situations.
Maladaptive coping mechanisms, which we all use at some point, are known as defense mechanisms. These are temporary strategies we unconsciously employ to handle triggers our minds are unequipped to manage.
Defense mechanisms are mostly unconscious and automatic safeguards against stressful situations—psychological reactions designed to protect us from trauma. Although these psychological responses defend us from our fears and anxieties, they are not long-term solutions.
Examples of such mechanisms include denial, conversion, projection, and repression.
Without coping mechanisms, defensive or otherwise, we can experiencedecompensation – the inability to generate effective psychological coping mechanisms in response to stress – resulting in personality disturbance or disintegration.
The difference between defense and coping mechanisms is that the latter are adaptive and promote emotional well-being and recovery. For instance, avoiding a social situation due to fear of criticism and rejection would be considered a defense mechanism, while confronting the feared situation by employing positive self-talk, mindfulness, and social skills training is adopting coping mechanisms.
It is important to remember that although coping and defense mechanisms do not address the root causes of our fears and anxieties, they can provide limited emotional relief. Like an analgesic that temporarily alleviates physical pain, these mechanisms can positively influence our emotional well-being and help rebuild our self-esteem as we navigate our mental health journey. However, it’s crucial to understand and address the root causes.
“It is one of the best investments I have made in myself, and I will continue to improve and benefit from it for the rest of my life.” – Nick P.
Notwithstanding their label, many defense mechanisms support recovery when utilized appropriately. Some, like avoidance, humor,and isolation, need no explanation. Others, such as compensation and dissociation, have positive values in recovery when employed appropriately.
Compensation is when we overachieve in one area of our lives to offset perceived failures in another. For example, a poor student may become a star athlete. We compensate for our negative thoughts and behaviors by channeling our efforts into healthy, productive accomplishments. This process helps rebuild our self-esteem as we focus on our strengths, virtues, and attributes rather than the aspects of ourselves affected by social anxiety.
In essence, we leverage our best qualities to counteract any perceived deficits in self-esteem caused by our social anxiety.
“Dr. Mullen is doing impressive work helping the world. He is the pioneer of proactive neuroplasticity utilizing DRNI – deliberate, repetitive, neural information.” – WeVoice (Madrid, Málaga)
Dissociation
In psychological terms, dissociation refers to the experience of detaching from reality. Dissociation can range from mild emotional detachment to more significant disconnection from physical and emotional trauma. Dissociation helps people manage their emotional well-being by separating their thoughts, memories, feelings, and actions from distressing situation(s).
In less severe cases, we might dissociate by daydreaming or losing ourselves in a good book or movie, which can temporarily relieve stress.
In recovery, we practice deliberate dissociation from the symptoms of social anxiety. This act allows us to separate ourselves from the negative aspects of our condition to focus on our character assets. It provides a sense of control and confidence to objectively analyze our thoughts and behaviors to respond rationally and productively.
When our identity remains intertwined with social anxiety, consciously dissociating from the symptoms of our condition is a functional and productive approach.
Dissociation
Dissociation helps us recognize that we are not defined by our condition’s adversities but rather by our resilience, assets, and determination. It is a deliberate act rather than the unconscious responses linked to our automatic negative thoughts (ANTs).
Theoretically, when we disassociate, parts of our brain become more active and others less active. To regenerate our self-esteem, we energize the positive aspects of our character over the adverse self-appraisal of our condition.
For those who dispute my use of dissociation as frivolous, substitute the words disconnect, separate, uncouple, disunite, or liberate.
When we remain entangled with our social anxiety disorder, we often see ourselves as helpless, hopeless, undesirable, and worthless. These core and intermediate beliefs, shaped by childhood experiences and reinforced by our condition, become the nemesis of our self-appraisal.
By dissociating from social anxiety, we step away from self-targeting to objectively analyze our irrational thoughts and behaviors, leading to more rational and productive responses.
This shift from a disease model to a wellness model is significant. The disease model focuses on the problem, while the wellness model—rooted in humanistic and positive psychologies—emphasizes the solution. It defines health as physical, mental, and social well-being rather than merely the absence of disease or infirmity. This change in perspective fosters optimism for our recovery and reveals opportunities and possibilities.
It’s important to remember that we are not our social anxiety; we are individuals experiencing social anxiety. We do not identify as the injured limb when we break our leg. We view it as something that requires healing. The same principle applies to our recovery from social anxiety. Dissociation is not a sign of weakness; it is a tool we use to distance ourselves from our condition and take proactive steps toward healing.
WHY IS YOUR SUPPORT SO NECESSARY AND ESSENTIAL? ReChanneling develops and implements programs to (1) mitigate symptoms of social anxiety and related conditions and (2) pursue personal goals and objectives – harnessing our intrinsic aptitude for extraordinary living. Our paradigmatic approach targets the personality through empathy, collaboration, and program integration utilizing neuroscience and psychology, including proactive neuroplasticity, cognitive-behavioral modification, positive psychology, and techniques designed to regenerate self-esteem. No matter the size, every contribution supports someone striving to make a difference in their lives and those of others. All donations support scholarships for groups and workshops.
INDIVIDUAL RECOVERY. The symptoms of social anxiety make it challenging for some to participate in a collective workshop. Dr. Mullen works one-on-one with a select group of individuals uneasy in a group setting. ReChanneling offers scholarships to accommodate the costs. What is missed in group activities is provided in our monthly, no-cost Graduate Recovery Group. In this supportive community, graduates interact with others who have completed the program. Contact ‘rmullenphd@gmail.com’.
Committing to recovery is one of the hardest things you will ever do. It takes enormous courage and the realization that you are of value, consequential, and deserving of happiness.
Mental Health Stigma (MHS) is the hostile expression of the abject undesirability of a human being who has a mental illness. It is the instrument that brands the mentally malfunctional defective due to stereotypes. MHS is purposed to protect the general population from unpredictable and dangerous behaviors by any means necessary. MHS is fomented by prejudice, ignorance, and discrimination. The stigmatized are devalued in the eyes of others and subsequently in their self-image as well.
Between 50 and 65 million U.S. adults and adolescents have a mental illness; 90% of those will be impacted by mental health stigma, a presence that elicits unsupportable levels of shame and jeopardizes the emotional and societal well-being of the afflicted.
Trajectory
The Signaling Event. MHS is triggered by a set of signals or a signaling event, i.e., an occasion, experience, news story, or encounter where the visibility of behaviors and mannerisms associated with mental illness elicit a reaction.
The Label. Labeling defines the signaling event and distinguishes it from other labels. ‘Woman’ is a label; it is specific, restrictive to gender, and says certain things that distinguish it from other labels. A successful label elicits a strong public reaction. The defining characteristics of the label become the stereotype. Labeling is subject to the labeler’s belief system and, like stereotypes and stigma, is reliably inaccurate because of implied expectations of behavior.
Dr. Mullen is doing impressive work helping the world. He is the pioneer of proactive neuroplasticity utilizing DRNI—deliberate, repetitive, neural information. — WeVoice (Madrid, Málaga)
The Stereotype. Labeling gives the signal a moniker for identification; the stereotype defines it and gives it meaning. Stereotyping is a cognitive differentiation of something that piques one’s interest; everyone stereotypes. Mental health stereotyping is distinguishable by pathographic overtone that identifies the victim as unpredictable, potentially violent, and undesirable.
Ironically, 14th-century asylums in Spain and Egypt were built to protect the mentally afflicted from the dangerous and violent members of society.
Mental health labeling and stereotypes support and collaborate with preconceived notions of mental illness, generated by the natural aversion to weakness and difference. This is supported by an ignorant and prejudicial belief system and, on occasion, personal experience. Labels and stereotypes are unbound by truth or evidence; believability is the ultimate criterion.
Stigma. A stigma is a brand or mark that negatively impacts a person or group by distinguishing and separating that person or group from others. The branding concept originated with the ancient Greek custom of identifying criminals, slaves, or traitors by carving or burning a mark into their skin. Stigma is identified by three types: (1) abominations of the body, (2) moral character stigmas, and (3) tribal stigmas. The first refers to physical deformity or disease; tribal stigmas describe membership in devalued races, ethnicities, or religions; and moral character stigma refers to persons perceived as weak, immoral, duplicitous, dishonest, e.g., criminals, substance addicts, cigarette smokers, and the mentally ill.
Mental Health Stigma
The objective of MHS is the perceptual protection of the general population from the unpredictable and dangerous behaviors associated with mental illness by any means necessary, including deception, misinformation, and fear-baiting. Its ultimate goal is to negatively impact the social reintegration of the victim.
“It is one of the best investments I have made in myself, and I will continue to improve and benefit from it for the rest of my life.” – Nick P.
Anticipatory stigma is the expectation of a stigma due to behavior or diagnosis, and subsequent adverse social reactions. This causes resistance by the potential victim to disclose any physiological aberration.
Stigma-avoidance identifies those who avoid or postpone treatment fearing the associated stigma will discredit them and negatively impact their quality of life. Studies indicate almost one-third of the potential victims resist disclosure, impacting the potential for recovery.
Family stigmatization occurs when family members reject a child or sibling because of their mental illness. Throughout history, it was commonly accepted that mental illness was hereditary or the consequence of poor parenting. A 2008 study found 25% to 50% of family members believe disclosure will bring shame to the family. (Courtesy-stigma reflects supportive family members.)
An active stigma is a parasitic one. If it finds enough suitable hosts, the parasitosis can spread rapidly by traditional means. Studies show the aversion to mental illness is prosocially hard-wired which provides an abundance of hosts.
Contributing Factors to MHS. The stigma triad of ignorance, prejudice, and discrimination is generated and supported by preconceived notions, general obliviousness, a lack of education, and society’s deep-rooted fear of its susceptibility. The primary attributions to MHS are public opinion, media misrepresentation, visibility, diagnosis, and the disease or pathographic model of mental healthcare.
How Mental Health Stigma Impacts the Victim
MHS impacts the victim through a series of stigma experiences:
Felt stigma. The anticipated or implied threat of a stigma.
Enacted stigma. The activated stigma.
External stigma. The victim holds the perpetrator responsible for the stigma.
Internalized stigma. The victim assumes behavioral responsibility for the stigma.
Experienced stigma. Victim’s reaction to the stigma.
The victim anticipates their mannerisms, behaviors or diagnosis will generate a stigma (felt stigma). When the stigma is realized it becomes an enacted stigma. The victim blames the person who originated the stigma (external stigma) or assumes responsibility due to behavior (internalized stigma). When the stigma impacts the victim’s well-being, it becomes an experienced stigma.
MHS Impact. Mental health stigma can negatively affect the victim’s emotional well-being and quality of life by jeopardizing their:
Safety, health, and physiological wellbeing
Livelihood
Housing
Social Status
Relationships
Solution
Mental health stigma will not be mitigated or eliminated until the mental healthcare community embraces the wellness model over the disease of mental health. The disease model of mental health focuses on the problem; creating a harmful symbiosis between the individual and the diagnosis. The wellness model emphasizes the solution. A battle is not won by focusing on incompetence and weakness but by knowing and utilizing our strengths, and attributes. That is how we positively function―with pride and self-reliance and determination―with the awareness of what we are capable of.
Establishing new parameters of wellness calls for a reformation of thought and concept. In 2004, the World Health Organization began promoting the advantages of wellness over disease perspective, defining health as a state of physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. The World Psychiatric Association has aligned with the wellness model and it has become a central focus of international policy.
Evolving psychological approaches have become bellwethers for the research and study of the positive character strengths that facilitate the motivation, persistence, and perseverance helpful to recovery. Wellness must become the central focus of mental health for the simple reason that the disease model has provided grossly insufficient results.
A WORKING PLATFORM showing encouraging results for most physiological dysfunctions and discomforts is an integration of positive psychology’s optimum human functioning with CBT’s behavior modification, neuroscience’s network restructuring, and other personality-targeted approaches. including affirmations, autobiography, and methods to regenerate self-esteem and motivation.
This new wellness paradigm, however, should not be a dissolution of medical model approaches but an intense review of their efficacy, and repudiation of the one-size-fits-all stance within the mental health community.
WHY IS YOUR SUPPORT SO NECESSARY AND ESSENTIAL? ReChanneling develops and implements programs to (1) mitigate symptoms of social anxiety and related conditions and (2) pursue personal goals and objectives – harnessing our intrinsic aptitude for extraordinary living. Our paradigmatic approach targets the personality through empathy, collaboration, and program integration utilizing neuroscience and psychology, including proactive neuroplasticity, cognitive-behavioral modification, positive psychology, and techniques designed to regenerate self-esteem. All donations support scholarships for groups and workshops.
INDIVIDUAL RECOVERY. The symptoms of social anxiety make it challenging for some to participate in a collective workshop. Dr. Mullen works one-on-one with a select group of individuals uneasy in a group setting. ReChanneling offers scholarships to accommodate the costs. What is absent in group activities is provided in our monthly, no-cost Graduate Recovery Group. In this supportive community, graduates interact with others who have completed the program. Contact ‘rmullenphd@gmail.com’.
Committing to recovery is one of the hardest things you will ever do. It takes enormous courage and the realization that you are of value, consequential, and deserving of happiness.
