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| One of the most difficult
concepts for the abusive and the abused is "control." The difficulty
is compounded because "control" has two opposing meanings:
"Controlling" vs. "self-control." "Controlling" refers to when people try to run other people's lives. For example, if I tell you how to behave (even if I am "right"), I am being controlling. Controlling people insist, persist, or make a fuss when they don't get their way - until they get their way. "Self-control," on the other hand, is analogous to self-discipline. The individual with self-discipline skills runs his or her own life, not the other person's. If I don't like the way you behave, I let you know. I may make my argument once or twice. Then I drop it. I have no (sane) choice but to accept that you choose to behave in a way that I do not like. I am free to make more choices for myself from that point on. I am free to take into consideration the fact that I do not like your behavior. Both abuser & abused need to stop controlling each other, and instead control themselves.
Emotional Freedom and Self-Control "Self-control" implies the ability (a skill) to express modulated emotion. The disciplined individual experiences emotion, but instantaneously (automatically) subjects the raw emotional experience to the logic of the cerebral cortex (the part of the brain that makes us uniquely human) prior to any verbal and behavioral expression. The result is an expressive, yet controlled response. Self-control skills are prerequisite in producing assertive responses. The individual in control has the ability to recognize and interpret their internal affective state. They have the impulse control skills to tolerate the discomfort of painful emotions; they hold onto the emotion until it is "processed." They possess the concomitant ability to accurately interpret reality and implement sound judgment skills. Finally, they have verbal assertion skills that reflect an underlying, internally-based self-esteem. They know where they stand and have no need to prove it to or convince anyone of their position. These individuals are internally connected to themselves. They passively listen to what their feelings convey and impose no control over the emotional material that wells forth. What they do control is their response. A Dangerous Duo: Cognitive Distortion & Lack of Self-Control The cognitive and behavioral style of both the codependent and abusive individual differ markedly from that of the assertive individual. Both codependent and abusive persons blunt their emotional reactions. They control their experience of the normal full range of emotions via denial, self-imposed rules, and expectations, all of which are fueled by an irrational underlying cognitive set. In other words, they distort aspects of reality.
When individuals with distorted underlying cognitive sets also have poor self-control skills, watch out! Distorted cognitions coupled with poor self-control skills are the reason that abusers and victims both appear abusive! Both need to challenge the distorted cognitions which fuel their negative emotions, and both need acquire the requisite assertion & related skills to more effectively negotiate life. See an example of a victim's passive-aggressive anger here.
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