Chapter 8: Tactics
Directing discussion toward things that interest us, such as cars, sports, politics or music- anything to avoid discussing our crimes and our addiction.
Introducing Irrelevant Issues
The emotions that resulted from our thoughts about the event
Feelings
We seek excitement first, which keeps us from responsible behavior.
Seek Excitement First
This kind of thinking can fool us into thinking it's okay to violate others or the property of others.
Criminal Thinking Patterns
Everything that happens around us is all about us.
Personalization
A tactic that blocks out thoughts of our wrongdoing and deny the full extent of the harm we've caused others (trying to make it seem less significant than it is)
Minimizing
Healthier thoughts that are different from our automatic first thoughts and that lead to better outcomes.
Alternative Thoughts
We use power to manipulate, intimidate, humiliate, or dominate others.
Use of Power to Control
When you use this criminal thinking pattern, you do not learn from past experiences or plan for the future. You see behaviors as isolated events. You expect to be a big success with little to no effort.
Lack of time perspective
If something happened once or twice, it must always be true.
Overgeneralization
Avoidance, Diversion, Aggression
The three types of Criminal and Addictive Tactics
A tool (in our book) that helps us monitor our thinking
Thinking Report
We make excuses, point fingers at others, and claim that we were the ones who were wronged.
"Victim" or "Self-Pity" Stance
When you adopt this criminal thinking pattern you work hard to present a particular image to others, you may even think you are better than others
Good-person Stance
We believe situations just happen to us, and we don't take responsibility for our part.
Actor vs Observer
Distorting the truth by fudging the details, being intentionally uncertain of times and places, and answering questions with wishy-washy generalities.
Being deliberately vague tactic
The basic assumptions we make about the world, other people, and ourselves related to the event.
Core Beliefs
We seek the pleasure of getting high without thinking about the consequences.
Seek Pleasure First
We focus on details but don't understand the message behind them.
Concrete Thinking
We focus only on certain parts of a story or situation.
Selective Focus
Sarcasm and teasing falls under which Strategy?
Aggression
What we say or do in response to the event, as directed by our thoughts and reinforced by our feelings.
Behavior
We have a distorted idea about which rights and property are ours, and which belong to others.
"Ownership" Stance
This can be used in addiction to keep ourselves unaware of the harmful consequences of our use (a trick a person's mind plays on itself to excuse using no matter what harm it causes)
Denial
We think we know something and make snap decisions with no evidence.
Jumping to Conclusions