Ellis' ABC model

Albert Ellis (1962) suggested that good mental health is the result of rational thinking, defined as thinking in ways that allow people to be happy and free of pain. For Ellis, conditions like anxiety and depression (poor mental health) result from irrational thoughts (any thoughts that interfere with us being happy and free of pain). 

• A - activating event: according to Ellis, we get depressed when we experience negative events and these trigger irrational beliefs
• B - beliefs: Ellis identified a range of irrational beliefs. The belief that we should always achieve perfection is 'musterbation'. 'I-can't-stand-it-itis' is the belief that it is a disaster  whenever something goes wrong…