Difficult thoughts such as “I am worthless” “I don’t want to face the day” “this is hopeless”, are unpleasant, and it makes sense that people try to avoid having these thoughts. Common strategies include distractions such as the internet (Facebook, computer games), opting out (socially withdrawing and staying in bed), and self-medicating (drugs, alcohol). Avoidance of these experiences sometimes brings short-term relief, however all too often it comes at the expense of living with vitality. Having a break from intense thoughts, for example going to the movies with a friend, can be really helpful. However, inflexible and fixed avoidance of difficult experiences, especially if our default behaviours are not working in the long-term, can impact our mental health.
Our minds are great problem solving machines. However when we try to problem solve, why we have depression, it is easy to fall into a trap of going over and over (round and round) the same questions with out making progress. This pattern of thinking has us taking our thoughts seriously and literally. In short we feel like we are fused with our thoughts (like two metal plates that have been melted together). Ruminating, can feel like we are doing something useful, however when we are “fused” with our thoughts, much of our mental energy can get consumed, leaving us tired and less able to engage in values-based living. Rumination is one kind of pattern of thinking that gets us hooked by our thoughts.
Struggling with our inner experiences, such as thoughts, feelings, memories, and body sensations increases the likelihood of psychological distress such as depression. Watch this 3-minute video (by Russ Harris) to get a brief overview of the downsides to struggling with our emotions. And, watch this 3-minute video (by Rob Archer) to get a easy to understand overview of experiential avoidance. Research shows that the more we use inflexible psychological strategies, such as fusing with our thoughts and experiential avoidance, the more likely we are to meet clinical criteria for depression.
Fortunately, acceptance and commitment therapy provides skills to unhook (defuse) from our thoughts and make space for difficult experiences (acceptance), with the goal of living a more values-based life.
