1. emotions are often helpful, adaptive, action tendencies
“in the wilderness in which the human race developed its current genetic characteristics, individuals who had the capacity to respond to dangerous or otherwise significant circumstances with an adequate set of emotions, and acted accordingly, had a better chance to survive, to have children, and to raise them than individuals who were deficient in that respect”
Gut E Productive & unproductive depression London: Routledge, 1989
but inappropriate or stuck emotions cause great distress
alarm reactions, hypervigilance and the ability to stand up for oneself are
very important for survival; if however they are persistent or excessive
we may develop panic disorder, anxiety states, and problems with anger
similarly when a situation becomes unsustainable & the way through is blocked, it is crucial to withdraw, re-evaluate and choose a different way forward; if however we get stuck in this sense of withdrawal, inadequacy, hopelessness & powerlessness, we then become clinically depressed

2. development & maintenance of distressed states
after a series of distressed episodes e.g. in recurrent depression, external triggers become less important *
genetic tendencies
behaviours
body state
life
events
change
loss, illness
parents
and family
coping
style
recent
triggers*
distressed
state
future
hopes
conflict
trauma, threat
life
situation
experiences growing up
relationships
beliefs
vulnerability factors
triggering factors
maintaining factors