"When a child says, 'What if I fail my test tomorrow?' or a teen spirals into 'What if they think I'm weird', the common thread is fusion. The thought does not feel like a thought; rather, it feels like the truth."
"The problem is not having negative thoughts; it is that when you get hooked by them, you believe they are guilty verdicts about you or your situation."
"That simple, powerful shift allows me to just notice that it is a thought. I'm not going to try to replace it with a more positive thought."
"In ACT, this process of stepping back from your thoughts is called cognitive defusion. It's the ability to create space from your thoughts."
Naming thoughts allows individuals to create distance from them, reducing the need to obey negative thinking. This technique, known as cognitive defusion in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), helps people recognize thoughts as mere thoughts rather than truths. By using phrases like 'I'm having the thought that...', individuals can acknowledge their thoughts without getting hooked by them, leading to a healthier relationship with anxious thinking.
#cognitive-defusion #acceptance-and-commitment-therapy #anxiety-management #mental-health #thought-recognition
Read at Psychology Today
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