As a strategy for transcendence rather than coping, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is an intriguing option for many people struggling with mental health disorders. ACT believes people have the potential to live full and prosperous lives. This potential isn’t affected by anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other mental health issues they may encounter in their lives.
ACT is an effective treatment for anxiety disorders. Studies have found that people struggling with anxiety disorders who received ACT had significantly lower levels of anxiety and depression than those who received traditional cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). People suffering from anxiety can be plagued by excessive self-consciousness and become trapped inside a web of negative thoughts and emotions. This therapy’s techniques can help those in such situations disconnect and disengage from self-sabotaging mental patterns, gradually reducing the strength and staying power of unproductive thoughts and emotions. Contact Promises Behavioral Health’s anxiety treatment centers at 844.875.5609 and speak to someone from our experienced and knowledgeable staff about acceptance and commitment therapy for anxiety disorders.
How Does ACT Therapy for Anxiety Disorders Work?
Over several therapy sessions, ACT specialists lead patients through a series of steps designed to promote true self-awareness and eliminate over-identification with their psychological and emotional problems. As a treatment regimen progresses, patients are introduced to the six core principles of ACT in action:
- Cognitive defusion – Learning to correctly identify troubling thoughts, memories, and concepts as subjective phenomena with no actual objective reality
- Acceptance – Fully acknowledging unpleasant thoughts and unwelcome emotions with no attempt to deny, suppress, or rationalize them away
- Contact with the present moment – Cultivating total absorption in the here and now and recreating the effect of mindfulness practices like yoga or meditation through conscious effort
- Recognizing the observing self – Becoming conscious of yourself as detached and lucid consciousness—as a separate being who can’t be defined by your thoughts, emotions, or sensory experiences
- Identifying values – Identifying what is most important and meaningful in life, and being prepared to make it a priority finally
- Committed action – Setting long-term and short-term goals and developing effective strategies to achieve them
This style of psychotherapy only focuses on the problem in the very early stages of the process. The primary focus in ACT is on positive transcendence and achievement—recovery from a mental health disorder is the launching pad. Still, the final destination is self-mastery and emotional wellness.
Why Should You Consider Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Anxiety Disorders?
People struggling with anxiety disorders need practical strategies to overcome their disabling physical and psychological reactions to stress, both real and imagined. ACT offers mindfulness as the remedy for that anxiety. Those using ACT techniques engage in a process that fearlessly confronts the symptoms of anxiety head-on—embracing them, accepting them, and draining them of their strength and influence. Acceptance and commitment therapy for anxiety disorders charts an ambitious course, offering the possibility of taming unwanted mental health symptoms.
ACT does not promise people struggling with anxiety disorders stress- or worry-free lives. Still, it does help remove the exhausting and paralyzing burden that prevents them from finding satisfaction in day-to-day life and reaching their full potential.
Learn More About ACT Therapy for Anxiety Disorders at Promises Behavioral Health
If you or a loved one is struggling with anxiety, Promises Behavioral Health can help. Our caring and experienced team of mental health professionals is here to provide the support and guidance needed to overcome anxiety disorders and other mental health conditions. Contact us today at 844.875.5609 to learn more about acceptance and commitment therapy for anxiety disorders and our other evidence-based treatment programs.