THIRD FORCE PSYCHOLOGY AND SPECIAL PSYCHIATRIST OF THE FIELD

From 1950 to 1970, psychology had two real options. They were Skinner’s Behavior Modification and Freud’s Free Association. The first came to be seen as highly manipulative and the second as impractical.

Thus, the Third Force was meant to occupy a position that was not only useful, but added a non-coercive guidance to an individual’s well-being. Some basic premises are listed below.

1. Human nature is not evil, rather for many they can become accommodative. Selfish could be redefined in terms of self enlightened interest. Human nature should be seen as a mix rather than basically good.
2. The stimulus response paradigm was replaced with stimulus-stimulus pattern. One becomes one’s own psychiatrist. If you fall into depression and anxiety, one must first look to the stimuli inside and then the stimulus outside.
3. Nature and nurture work together. They do not exist apart.
4. Psychiatric medications when properly used are helpful.
5. Living with others requires some level of conformity. However when it is overwhelmed with Indirect Self Acceptance, one mental health does not emerged. One must spontaneously want to change.
6. Most are mad all the time. It is a low level anger-anxiety that one continues to live with often. Change in this area requires change in oneself and then choices to avoid the wider environment.
7. Moderation in most things reduces inner turmoil. Intense feelings of hate and anger is often accompanied by a counter attitude of wanting that which is the opposite of one’s values. One can change.
8. There is a higher power even if there is not one. It helps to have a friend.
9. With the help of your own feelings of self acceptance, a higher power can help.
10. One lives in a paradox wanting that which may not be needed. Contentment champions comparison. Of all the Freudian defense mechanisms, one that is most powerful to the Third Force is projection. One who is using maladaptive behavior, an individual can misread their own desires and continually hurt themselves and others.

After the 1970’s the field allowed for especially foolish strategies and fell to the side. It was replaced by Transpersonal psychotherapy and biological psychiatry. The first became a cover for conversion to Evangelical Christianity and the second at first assumed the right bio-chemical mix of medications would self correct mental depression.