[ScarletPimpernel]

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy?

My T says I'm ready for it. I understand the concept and I will definitely try it, but it seems almost impossible. I'm supposed to be using it for my sui thoughts.

Has anyone had a positive outcome/experience with ACT.

[Partless]

I had a T who used elements of it but my therapy also had other stuff all mixed in there. It felt a little bit more spiritual or religious than pure CBT, this idea of committing to goals based on values and then accepting life as it comes. I liked it. I think people who have had DBT might see some similarities there too. There is good research behind this too. Sorry could not be of more help.

[ScarletPimpernel]

Originally Posted by Partless

I had a T who used elements of it but my therapy also had other stuff all mixed in there. It felt a little bit more spiritual or religious than pure CBT, this idea of committing to goals based on values and then accepting life as it comes. I liked it. I think people who have had DBT might see some similarities there too. There is good research behind this too. Sorry could not be of more help.

That's okay. I don't know much about it, so anything is helpful.

My T is all into positive/optimism. She doesn't even like to use the word negative...lol.

She told me for my thoughts I'm supposed to acknowledge them, but not accept them or fight them. Similar to how you're supposed to handle intrusive thoughts when you meditate. She related it to the Chinese finger puzzle: the tube you stick your fingers in. The harder you try to pull your fingers out, the tighter the puzzle gets. But if you relax and slowly pull your fingers out, you will break free of it. Another example is the pink elephant. If someone tells you to not think about the pink elephant, all you do is think about it. It's because you're reminding yourself by telling yourself not to think about it.

I do understand this. But...it just seems so risky. It's difficult having the thoughts already. I've suffered from them daily for 18 years. I will try anything to reduce the intensity. But it seems almost impossible not to react to them.

And it's ironic you mentioned spirituality/religion. I assumed she is Christian for a few reasons, but with all the things she has been teaching me lately...it's just more proof. That's okay with me though. It's just kinda amusing to me.

[Angst_guy7]

Originally Posted by ScarletPimpernel

That's okay. I don't know much about it, so anything is helpful.

My T is all into positive/optimism. She doesn't even like to use the word negative...lol.

She told me for my thoughts I'm supposed to acknowledge them, but not accept them or fight them. Similar to how you're supposed to handle intrusive thoughts when you meditate. She related it to the Chinese finger puzzle: the tube you stick your fingers in. The harder you try to pull your fingers out, the tighter the puzzle gets. But if you relax and slowly pull your fingers out, you will break free of it. Another example is the pink elephant. If someone tells you to not think about the pink elephant, all you do is think about it. It's because you're reminding yourself by telling yourself not to think about it.

I do understand this. But...it just seems so risky. It's difficult having the thoughts already. I've suffered from them daily for 18 years. I will try anything to reduce the intensity. But it seems almost impossible not to react to them.

And it's ironic you mentioned spirituality/religion. I assumed she is Christian for a few reasons, but with all the things she has been teaching me lately...it's just more proof. That's okay with me though. It's just kinda amusing to me.

Here is a link to a British self help site on ACT. The sight is a great resource for a lot CBT of which ACT is one of the newer forms. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Here is one of the best ACT metaphor video's on Youtube.

There are others that are suggested once you click on it. Its called The unwelcome party guest. and compares unwelcome thoughts to an annoying guest at your party. Once you accept them they don't seem as bad as you originally thought.

My T doesn't regularly use ACT formally but she is starting to introduce some of the practices to some of her anxiety and OCD patients.

peace

[Sometimes psychotic]

My T is using some ACT elements....one was a mediation you picture a stream with leaves falling in the stream and every time you have a thought good or bad you put the thought on a leaf and let it go down stream....if you stray onto something else you just go back to the stream again. I actually used it irl and it worked for those little nuisance thoughts i have. Not tried it for anything major yet.

[ScarletPimpernel]

Originally Posted by Sometimes psychotic

My T is using some ACT elements....one was a mediation you picture a stream with leaves falling in the stream and every time you have a thought good or bad you put the thought on a leaf and let it go down stream....if you stray onto something else you just go back to the stream again. I actually used it irl and it worked for those little nuisance thoughts i have. Not tried it for anything major yet.

Hmm. I'll have to try that. I haven't mastered meditation or imagery well. I'm at the level of focusing on my breathing...lol. But a stream and leaves seems doable.

[sweepy62]

Yes my t and I have been doing that therapy for a couple of months now, the funny part was, I didn't know until she told me.

I don't know how to feel about it, right now I don't know how I'm feeling about therapy in general.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ScarletPimpernel]

My T asked me if I had ever done ACT. I told her I had no clue. No one ever told me what type of therapy we were doing. She laughed and sighed...lol.

I'm sorry Sweepy that your session intervals still haven't stabilized I remember reading your situation when you started with this T. I know you've been trying to be patient and put in your effort. Hopefully, you can go back to your normal intended intervals soon.

[iheartjacques]

Yes. Takes a while to get used to it.

[StressedMess]

So what you are saying is, instead of having an inner dialogue with my good self vs. my bad self ("I'm worthless""no you're not, you're deserving""I'm stupid""no you're not you're developing your growing edge") that I should just let the "I'm worthless" float in and out of my thoughts? Therefore not giving it special attention or being conscious of it, thereby making it a fleeting thought instead of a constant battle?

I love the sound of it! Do you have to be in a certain place in your healing? For instance, my self-esteem was sunk into the bottom of the toilet, but after a few months of therapy, it's starting to rise up. Not very far yet, definitely still in the bowl, but maybe around the level of the hard water stain. Sorry for the gross analogy!

Anyway, if you're not prepared to listen and release the thought, could it somehow set you back or be otherwise detrimental? Thanks for any insight.

[ScarletPimpernel]

Originally Posted by StressedMess

So what you are saying is, instead of having an inner dialogue with my good self vs. my bad self ("I'm worthless""no you're not, you're deserving""I'm stupid""no you're not you're developing your growing edge") that I should just let the "I'm worthless" float in and out of my thoughts? Therefore not giving it special attention or being conscious of it, thereby making it a fleeting thought instead of a constant battle?

I love the sound of it! Do you have to be in a certain place in your healing? For instance, my self-esteem was sunk into the bottom of the toilet, but after a few months of therapy, it's starting to rise up. Not very far yet, definitely still in the bowl, but maybe around the level of the hard water stain. Sorry for the gross analogy!

Anyway, if you're not prepared to listen and release the thought, could it somehow set you back or be otherwise detrimental? Thanks for any insight.

Not 100% sure if it can be detrimental. The first metaphor in the workbook my T lent me is about quicksand. If your stuck in quicksand, the worst thing you can do is fight it. You fight it, you'll sink more. But if you try to spread out the surface area of contact with the sand by trying to float on your back and "be one" with the sand, you can rolk yourself out of it. So the concept of ACT is to not fight against your psychological suffering.

The second metaphor was of a person fight on a battlefield in a war. If you are fighting, you believe that the outcome is the most important. You believe the only way to live a life worth living is to win the war. But you actually have a choice. You can choose to walk off the battlefield. The war will still continue. The sights and sounds and terrain will remain the same. But you can still go on and live a worthwhile life.

It makes a point to question how long have you experienced the things you psychologically suffer from the most? It's not the things that have occurred recently, but things that happened a long time ago. And we have tried the conventional common techniques to stop struggling, but the pain still exists. So like the quicksand, maybe it's time to try something that goes against the popular concepts of therapy.

I only made it to page 5 with that much information...lol. I like it so far.

[StressedMess]

Originally Posted by Angst_guy7

Here is a link to a British self help site on ACT. The sight is a great resource for a lot CBT of which ACT is one of the newer forms. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Here is one of the best ACT metaphor video's on Youtube.

There are others that are suggested once you click on it. Its called The unwelcome party guest. and compares unwelcome thoughts to an annoying guest at your party. Once you accept them they don't seem as bad as you originally thought.

My T doesn't regularly use ACT formally but she is starting to introduce some of the practices to some of her anxiety and OCD patients.

peace

Thanks for the video and the link, I'm intrigued!

[StressedMess]

Originally Posted by ScarletPimpernel

Not 100% sure if it can be detrimental. The first metaphor in the workbook my T lent me is about quicksand. If your stuck in quicksand, the worst thing you can do is fight it. You fight it, you'll sink more. But if you try to spread out the surface area of contact with the sand by trying to float on your back and "be one" with the sand, you can rolk yourself out of it. So the concept of ACT is to not fight against your psychological suffering.


The second metaphor was of a person fight on a battlefield in a war. If you are fighting, you believe that the outcome is the most important. You believe the only way to live a life worth living is to win the war. But you actually have a choice. You can choose to walk off the battlefield. The war will still continue. The sights and sounds and terrain will remain the same. But you can still go on and live a worthwhile life.


It makes a point to question how long have you experienced the things you psychologically suffer from the most? It's not the things that have occurred recently, but things that happened a long time ago. And we have tried the conventional common techniques to stop struggling, but the pain still exists. So like the quicksand, maybe it's time to try something that goes against the popular concepts of therapy.


I only made it to page 5 with that much information...lol. I like it so far.

Awesome. As I have lived with these thoughts all my life, even though my mind can acknowledge they are bunk, my heart still truly believes them. I think they've had enough attention thus far! The video with the party guest was brilliant! If he's going to be there no matter what, don't try to push him out or ignore him, but acknowledge he's there and you'll notice he's not getting all your attention anymore.

This is definitely something I'm going to bring up with T, who does mostly CBT. Bet she could do this with me.

Thanks so much, I learn something new every day on PC. You all rock!!

[Angst_guy7]

One of the most enlightening things I have ever heard about anxiety/intrusive/unwanted thoughts is this.
Everyone has those thoughts etc but those who suffer from anxiety and related disorders pay WAY more attention to them and they judge themselves WAY too much for having them.
I think the newer therapies like ACT, DBT and mindfulness based therapies teach that the thoughts etc will come regardless. With practice (especially with the help of a professional) you can learn to not resist them and thus they eventually lessen the suffering you experience.
One of the core teachings of mindfulness is pain in life is inevitable regardless of your wealth and stature etc. However the suffering aspect can be lessened and accepted if you can learn to release it.

Thankfully another core concepts of mindfulness is not to grade yourself on implementing the practice!! I am definitely the type who grades myself on everything to do with my mental health progress or lack of of it.

[BadWolf]

I love act. It helped me alot. Acbs.org

[iheartjacques]

I think it was more about accepting things as they are, and committing to doing your best anyway. Like if you were going to have a test, instead of having a meltdown, accept you're going to sit the test, and do your best.

[jexa]

I love ACT. ACT is about letting go of what you can't change, showing up to the present moment, and doing things you care about even if your thoughts and feelings tell you that you can't. Thoughts and feelings aren't always the best messengers of information about the world.. and fighting them sometimes just makes them seem more important than they really are. You learn how to cope with emotions and negative thoughts by practicing living a good life no matter what. Slowly, those thoughts don't seem so loud anymore, those emotions no longer disabling.

[AncientMelody]

Another ACT fan here . Traditional CBT has helped my anxiety nut when I get into a depressive relapse, I have more success with ACT techniques

[Xenon]

I've read books about it and my therapist also uses it sometimes, and I'm intrigued, but I have trouble with connecting with my values. I tend to draw a blank when asked about them and resist exploring them. I have a hard time feeling inspired by any and I think I find the idea kind of scary and vulnerable.

[growlycat]

CBT T and I are exploring ACT now. I am reading "ACT MADE Simple" which is really written for therapists but I have found it useful.

CBT and ACT seem like the opposite of psychodynamic---looking to the future not the past. Psychodynamic was perfect for me when I was deathly suicidal. Once stable and not feeling horrid, ACT seems more useful.

One part I like about ACT is avoiding what they call "dead person's goals." This means that you shouldn't set goals a dead person will do better than you do by default.

For example: "I want to stop drinking" well, a dead person already has you beat.

Goals should move towards positive behavior or move towards meaningful living. Some interpret that as spiritual but it is one option of many. You move towards what matters to you most.

Originally Posted by jexa

I love ACT. ACT is about letting go of what you can't change, showing up to the present moment, and doing things you care about even if your thoughts and feelings tell you that you can't. Thoughts and feelings aren't always the best messengers of information about the world.. and fighting them sometimes just makes them seem more important than they really are. You learn how to cope with emotions and negative thoughts by practicing living a good life no matter what. Slowly, those thoughts don't seem so loud anymore, .

I feel like a total freak now because this is how I have tried to live for many years and intrusive thoughts and negative emotions only get worse. Spending times with friends even when I don't feel like it, doing things I know I like even when I don't want to... I end up in a black pit of despair. The feeling of worthlessness is compounded and multiplied.