Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) focuses on the present moment. Mindfulness can be helpful for individuals with depression, anxiety, a substance use disorder, or even someone without a mental illness! Everyone has mental health to nurture, and practicing mindfulness helps you do that. During mindfulness, you are focused on the present moment — what you are doing, what’s happening, and being fully present.
One DBT skill is the three different states of mind: rational mind, emotional mind, and wise mind. You can think of these states of mind like a Venn diagram — there are two large circles that overlap. The rational mind is one circle and the emotional mind is the other circle. Where these two circles overlap is called the wise mind. The wise mind encompasses a little bit of both the rational mind and the emotional mind. Pinnacle Recovery will discuss the three minds below.
Rational mind
In the rational mind, your mind is thinking and making decisions based on facts and past experiences. A person is operating in the rational mind when they are thinking logically, planning their behavior, and fully focused. Rational mind is often logical and straightforward. There is no room for emotions in the rational state of mind. Some examples of times where individuals may be in rational mind are:
- Planning an event
- Solving a math problem
- Researching information
Emotional mind
In the emotional mind, your mind is controlled by your emotions. You are unable to think logically. Facts are not available to you. You are operating impulsively and making decisions based completely on how you feel. In the emotional mind, your thoughts and feelings influence the decisions you make. You are acting subjectively. Some examples of times where individuals may be in emotional mind are:
- Disagreeing or fighting with a friend
- Buying something on impulse
- Procrastinating a task you must complete
Wise mind
In the wise mind, you are operating in an ideal state. You are taking into account both the rational and wise mind while making decisions. Your wise mind is able to accept your emotions while also taking into account the facts of the situation. There is a balance in the wise mind because you are practicing mindfulness.
Although it can be difficult to get yourself into wise mind, it is beneficial to take into account both the rational mind and emotional mind. Pinnacle Recovery wants to help you do just that. Call our trained and experienced staff today for more information at 1-866-301-0573. We cannot wait to hear from you!
