by Joy Johnson

Created on: August 16, 2009

Why is it that when you don't know an answer or can't make the decision about what you need to do, and someone asks, "Well, if you did know, what would it be?" that you can come up with an answer more easily? We often reflect on what decisions we made in the past in assessing our lives, but we miss the fact that much of what we do is determined on a subconscious level outside our normal awareness, driving our decisions.

Sometimes the pressure to make a decision and be responsible for the consequences can create mental blocks, a behavior, that in my field of behavior analysis, we call an avoid or escape mechanism. As a Hypnotherapist, I have to say that in this case, the avoidance and escape mechanism of not knowing information, until you allow yourself to explore what the likely answers might be, is by and large at the subconscious level.

I should point out that people may actually have behaviors that in one situation will be linked to one intention and then fulfill another purpose when the environment changes. This is the same behavior just different intentions or reasons for the behavior in different environments. For example, a teenager might resist getting up in the morning and refuse to get ready for school because (primarily) they are trying to avoid or escape going to a place they do not like. They may also refuse to comply with house rules or may fight with siblings after school (primarily) because they are tired and need more sleep. Same or similar behavior but different motivations and factors come into play. The typical way we find out what the primary motivation is for a behavior, is by doing a comprehensive functional assessment and through direct observation.

However, all behavior is communication and for individuals with developmental disabilities, who can not speak, for example, the usual way to communicate to others is through their behavior. Their behavior communicates internal and/or external stimuli. After knowing the individual for a little while we can predict circumstances and setting events (things that have a causal factor for behavior) that are idiosyncratic to the individual so that we can decrease behavioral outbursts just by knowing this information about the individual.

In assessing our life and the way we behave, it is often revealed in the same way people with developmental disabilities use to communicate. Behavior isn't necessarily occurring on a logical or conscious level. Our behavior is communicating something important but we

• 1
• 2
• 3
• Next Page >>