What does Acceptance and Commitment Therapy do?
Acceptance and commitment therapy help treat the symptoms of depression and anxiety. Nearly 21 million people suffer from depression in the United States alone. This number might be even more alarming considering these statistics are just from one country. Mental health disorders such as the Depressive Disorder and Anxiety Disorder can cripple the best of us. Depressive disorder and anxiety disorder often go hand in hand. They meddle with daily activities and impact the ability to make sound decisions. When suffering from depression, an individual does not want to engage in any activity that they once enjoyed doing. Today, psychology has made tremendous growth in helping people with anxiety and depression. Various therapies can help people struggling with these mental health issues. Acceptance and commitment therapy is one such tool that is used to help people with Depressive Disorder and Anxiety Disorder. In this blog, we will talk more about acceptance and commitment therapy and its process, benefits, effectiveness, techniques, and more. Read on to find out more about acceptance and commitment therapy. What is acceptance and commitment therapy? Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is a type of psychotherapy that is useful for patients suffering from anxiety and depressive disorder. ACT focuses on mindfulness which helps the patients to develop the ability to enjoy the present moment and accept their negative thoughts. Acceptance and commitment therapy help the patients manage their emotions effectively. People suffering from anxiety disorder can sometimes, dwell on their negative emotions a lot. The therapist encourages the patients to focus on the process of healing instead of overthinking their actions. The therapist helps the patient with coping mechanisms that help them in situations where the patient might feel anxious or depressed. The coping mechanisms are not only helpful when the patient is trying to recover from their mental health disorders, but can help the patient throughout their life. History of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Acceptance and commitment therapy or ACT therapy are used to help patients to accept their responses in situations that are out of their control. In ACT therapy, the patients are taught that their natural responses to tricky situations are appropriate reactions. The patients are taught to no longer deny, avoid, or be embarrassed about their inner feelings and emotions. Earlier known as comprehensive distancing, ACT therapy was evolved by Steven C. Hayes, who was a psychologist. He developed this type of psychotherapy when he was dealing with anxiety disorder and panic attacks in the 1980s. A professor at the University of Nevada, Steven C. Hayes promised himself that instead of running from his inner emotions and feelings, he would start accepting them. This gave birth to psychotherapy, which combined the principles of cognitive behavioral therapy and behavior analysis. How does acceptance and commitment therapy work? Acceptance and commitment therapy is a result of the combination of cognitive therapy and behavior analysis. The primary idea behind ACT therapy is that controlling emotions and feelings does more harm than good. Instead, ACT focuses on accepting those emotions and learning from your experiences. It is often observed that when you suppress your feelings, it ultimately makes you more anxious, uneasy, and hyper. Therefore, ACT therapy focuses on mindfulness. This will help the patient to observe their thoughts and change their negative thought process. It will also make the patient re-think their values and increase their commitment to act in a way that aligns with the goal of acceptance and commitment therapy. Accepting your unpleasant experiences might be difficult for some people. Therefore, ACT therapy sessions are focused on 3 pillars: acceptance, direction, and action. Let us talk in detail about these pillars of ACT therapy: Acceptance The patient is encouraged to accept their negative feelings, emotions, and experiences. The patient is taught that these elements are not in control of the patient, therefore, it is best to be mindful and accepting towards them. Direction Once the patient has accepted their negative thoughts and experiences, the therapist must point them toward the direction of healing. The therapist motivates the patient to adopt a positive approach toward their mental and emotional healing. This ensures that the patients do not get panic attacks, anxiety, or depression when they are revisiting their past experiences or facing their emotional triggers. Action After the patients are positive about their experiences, they are encouraged to take conscious action to stay positive throughout their journey. The therapist urges them to stay motivated and positive irrespective of any external factors. Structure of an ACT Therapy Session Like any other psychotherapy session, ACT therapy sessions also stick to a certain structure. This structure is crucial for a successful acceptance and commitment therapy session. In other words, these are the core values of ACT therapy sessions. Let us discuss the structure of a typical ACT therapy session in detail. Building Rapport with the Patient The initial sessions in ACT Therapy emphasize building a positive rapport between the therapist and the patient. The therapist makes sure that there is a positive rapport by encouraging the patient to talk about their struggles and past experiences. The patient is assured that the therapy is a safe space to talk about their mental health. The patients find it easy to open up about their struggles and what triggers their anxiety and depression. Increase Awareness To bring a positive change, the therapist and the patient must talk freely about the patient’s struggles and emotions. With the help of the therapist, the patient can recognize the situations where they develop negative thoughts and emotions. Once the patients develop awareness about their emotions, it is easier for them to accept such emotions. This acceptance helps them develop a positive approach towards healing and stay committed to their goals. Develop Core values Every individual has a set of core values that they stick to. However, sometimes, the individual is not aware of their core values. During acceptance and commitment therapy sessions, the patient is encouraged to explore their core values. This helps the