Aditi
Acceptance and Commitment therapy commonly known as ACT (pronounced “act”) is a third wave treatment approach which was developed by Steven Hayes in 1986. ACT is a unique behavior therapy approach that aims to address concerns about anxiety and fear in a mindful, compassionate way, while encouraging people to pursue what really matters to them. The goal of ACT is to accept the difficulties and negative elements that come with life instead of eliminating them, and committing to make necessary changes in life.
Thus ACT helps clients achieve goals which are consistent with their values and helps them respond to challenges in a positive manner and teaches them to accept whatever negative thoughts and feelings they might experience instead of denying them.
At the risk of sounding clichéd we can say that today we are living in a fast paced world and a new age world at that. We as a country and as individuals are reaching new heights and conquering milestones every day.
But what we fail to notice in our quest for excellence is the crippling anxiety, the unwavering feeling of worthlessness, the unwarranted guilt and many more such unwelcome feelings that lie beneath the strong exterior which eventually lead to a plethora of mental illnesses.
We need to recognize the concerns faced by people today, especially youths, some of the issues have always been present but newer difficulties and obstacles have started to surface such as addiction, violence in schools, political and social issues, economic inequality etc.
So ACT is just the kind of therapeutic intervention we need to combat the unpleasant emotions and feelings that accompany the issues faced by people.
ACT is a mindfulness based approach which helps people develop psychological flexibility i.e. it increases their positive thinking, wellbeing and an overall sense of being happy. It is the ability to be in contact with the present moment and be willing to change and adapt to situations more easily.
ACT talks about concepts such as experiential avoidance – wherein we try to avoid unpleasant and unwanted emotions, thoughts, feelings memories, etc. And in turn it says that we should engage in experiential acceptance that is allowing the experience to come into our life despite of its negative aspects or drawbacks.
Another concept it talks about is cognitive fusion that is when we are so tightly stuck to our thoughts we become ‘fused’ to them and we are unable to separate ourselves from our thoughts and how this is one of the many reasons people find it difficult to let go and accept. It says that diffusing of thoughts is very important if we want to live a peaceful life.
Many commonly used techniques and skills in ACT include metaphors and paradoxes, group activities, awareness exercises, mindfulness-based interventions, etc.
Some of the unique interventions which are employed by ACT are:
- Creative Hopelessness- it helps clients rule out the areas they want to improve and make concrete plans that can help them to achieve their goals.
- Acceptance strategies -acceptance skills can be developed through conversations, modelling, role playing or specific exercises and worksheets. Acceptance strategies help participants discriminate between productive and unproductive thoughts, emotions, and behavioural patterns, and
- Deliteralization– is related to cognitive diffusion and allows us to redefine our thinking and feeling processes.
ACT can be used for people who are suffering from depression and other mood disorders, people who have experienced personal loss, people with psychosis, individuals who experience self-doubt and low self-esteem, people with anxiety disorders etc.
Today ACT has been used effectively to help treat workplace stress, test anxiety, social anxiety disorder, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and psychosis. It has also been used to help treat medical conditions such as chronic pain, substance abuse, and diabetes.
Fulfilment does not mean our difficult emotions disappear; it means we change our relationship with them- Dr. Russ Harris
The principles and methods of ACT are simple reminders about how enriching and fulfilling our lives can be. Through meaningful self-acknowledgment and acceptance, ACT shows us how we can manage our emotions without actually trying to control them.
Thus it is safe to say that this new wave therapy is the need of the hour as it helps us let go of the unhelpful thoughts that we tend to hold on to so dearly and it teaches us to accept life as it comes with all its hardships and obstacles with a positive attitude.
References:
Team, G. (2018, December 02). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Retrieved December 26, 2020, from https://www.goodtherapy.org/learn-about-therapy/types/acceptance-commitment-therapy
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. (n.d.). Retrieved December 26, 2020, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/therapy-types/acceptance-and-commitment-therapy
How Does Acceptance And Commitment Therapy (ACT) Work? (2020, December 14). Retrieved December 26, 2020, from https://positivepsychology.com/act-acceptance-and-commitment-therapy/
Fung, K. (n.d.). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: Western adoption of Buddhist tenets? – Kenneth Fung, 2015. Retrieved December 26, 2020, from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1363461514537544
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. (n.d.). Retrieved December 26, 2020, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/therapy-types/acceptance-and-commitment-therapy
Cuncic, A. (2019, September 30). Why Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Is Used to Treat SAD. Retrieved December 26, 2020, from https://www.verywellmind.com/acceptance-and-commitment-therapy-for-social-anxiety-3024910
ACT Therapy: The Theory Behind Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. (2020, September 01). Retrieved December 26, 2020, from https://positivepsychology.com/act-therapy/
Serani, D. (2011, February 22). An Introduction to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Retrieved December 26, 2020, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/two-takes-depression/201102/introduction-acceptance-and-commitment-therapy
Eifert, G. H., & Forsyth, J. P. (2005). Acceptance & commitment therapy for anxiety disorders: a practitioner’s treatment guide to using mindfulness, acceptance, and values-based behaviour change strategies. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications.
Hayes, S.C.,Strosahl, K. D., & Wilson, K.G. (2016). Acceptance and commitment therapy: the process and practice of mindful change. New York: Guilford Press.
Hayes, S.C., & Smith, S. (n.d.). Get out of your mind & into your life: the new acceptance & commitment therapy. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publ.
