ACT and disability

[Guest guest]

I hope my post doesn't get lost in the midst of the recent Request

thread because I am really struggling with this and hope someone here

can help.

There is SO much I want to do with my life and yet I am physically

held back from moving forward. My disability is so very limiting &

as I go through the workbook I am reminded of how much I miss my old

life; the life I had before my injury.

I really don't want to get into the details of my disability because

people, especially well-intentioned people, always want to find a

solution to my limitations and while I think that may be less likely

to happen here in this forum, it almost always inevitably does. Even

suicide crisis lines always feel the need to jump in with " solutions "

to my " problem " .

The reality for me is that I LONG to live a full and vibrant life; I

have an armful of values to move forward with & I am stuck in a body

that won't allow me to do what I want to. I have worked hard in the

decade following my injury to reclaim a life. And while I do have

some physical capabilities, they are so limited by this injury and I

struggle so much with the grief of what i've los and the frustration

that I cannot follow my dreams and pursue the life I am passionate to

live.

Is there any specific work/research that has been done re: ACT and

disabilities?

Weary Cheers,

phoenix..

[Guest guest]

Hello Pheonix

I can only say what I know from my experience. 4 years ago I got

really sick. My life has changed hugely coz of that. I can no longer

do the things I use to do before the onset of the illness. I spent

lots of time longing for the life I had, sometimes I still do. Then

I thought well I can change the situation, so I had no choice to but

to accept what my body can and can't do. So, I still have the same

loves in life, but they are just perhaps more subtle. I use to be a

rock climber, my body can't do that now, but I do love being out in

nature still. I can't do extended day bush walks but I can set up my

tent in my back yard with my friends and light a camp fire. Yep,

there will still be the thoughts of 'i wish i could do that again',

and that's ok, but I can't, so I just gently accept it and try and

gently accept the thoughts and feelings that go with it.

So much of my battle was around refusing/ not wanting to accept what

had happened and wanting it to be how it use to be. You are NOT

alone it that, people do it all of the time, people with or without

disabilites. People will long for the time when they felt happy,

when they had a better job, when they first fell in love, lost youth

and beauty and even the desire for old age wisdom. I think we spend

so much time wanting things to be other than what they are. I see

acceptance as accepting the reality of what is, accepting the grief

of what we wanted our life to be and then to still chose life.

My values have shifted somewhat. I still do value outdoors stuff but

I perhaps value more strongly 'frienship and connection' because

when i was sick it was not the rock climbing that got me through

hard days, it was my lovely family and friends who gave so much love

and care. I guess I have simplified what makes me happy because I

have had no choice but to do that as fighting against the reality of

my present condition was keeping me stuck.

Keep posting, you'll get lots of support

Bel

>

> I hope my post doesn't get lost in the midst of the recent Request

> thread because I am really struggling with this and hope someone

here

> can help.

>

> There is SO much I want to do with my life and yet I am physically

> held back from moving forward. My disability is so very limiting

&

> as I go through the workbook I am reminded of how much I miss my

old

> life; the life I had before my injury.

>

> I really don't want to get into the details of my disability

because

> people, especially well-intentioned people, always want to find a

> solution to my limitations and while I think that may be less

likely

> to happen here in this forum, it almost always inevitably does.

Even

> suicide crisis lines always feel the need to jump in

with " solutions "

> to my " problem " .

>

> The reality for me is that I LONG to live a full and vibrant life;

I

> have an armful of values to move forward with & I am stuck in a

body

> that won't allow me to do what I want to. I have worked hard in

the

> decade following my injury to reclaim a life. And while I do have

> some physical capabilities, they are so limited by this injury and

I

> struggle so much with the grief of what i've los and the

frustration

> that I cannot follow my dreams and pursue the life I am passionate

to

> live.

>

> Is there any specific work/research that has been done re: ACT and

> disabilities?

>

> Weary Cheers,

> phoenix..

>

[Guest guest]

> Is there any specific work/research that has been done re: ACT and

> disabilities?

From what I understand, it's been found effective for chronic pain and

for epilepsy. There could be other research too that I'm not

remembering just now.

In addition, on the Web site for ACT, www.contextualpsychology.org,

there's a publications section. I searched there for " disability " and

came up with the three journal articles listed below. Not sure how

applicable they are to your situation, but there could be some overlap.

FYI, if you're interested in actually reading these studies (I'm sure

they are very technical, but they might be helpful too), you can join

the Web site for $20 as an " affiliate member, " and get download

privileges - looks like all of these have been posted as PDFs. Your

$20 goes to support the Web site and the organization behind ACT, so

it's for a good cause.

Dahl, J., , K. G., & Nilsson, A. (2004). Acceptance and

Commitment Therapy and the treatment of persons at risk for long-term

disability resulting from stress and pain symptoms: A preliminary

randomized trial. Behavior Therapy, 35, 785-802.

McCracken, L. M, Vowles, K. E., & Eccleston, C. (in press).

Acceptance-based treatment for persons with complex, long-standing

chronic pain: A preliminary analysis of treatment outcome in

comparison to a waiting phase. Behaviour Research and Therapy.

Wicksell RK, Dahl J, Magnusson B, Olsson GL. Using Acceptance and

Commitment Therapy in the rehabilitation of an adolescent female with

chronic pain: A case example. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice

2005;12:415-423.

[Guest guest]

Also, check out this book - Living Beyond Your Pain: Using Acceptance & Commitment Therapy to Ease Chronic Pain - just published in May and no reader reviews yet on Amazon, nor have I looked at it yet. But looks like it might be helpful; conditions referenced on the cover include migraine, fibromyalgia, "back and neck problems," etc.

>> I hope my post doesn't get lost in the midst of the recent Request > thread because I am really struggling with this and hope someone here > can help.> > There is SO much I want to do with my life and yet I am physically > held back from moving forward. My disability is so very limiting & > as I go through the workbook I am reminded of how much I miss my old > life; the life I had before my injury. > > I really don't want to get into the details of my disability because > people, especially well-intentioned people, always want to find a > solution to my limitations and while I think that may be less likely > to happen here in this forum, it almost always inevitably does. Even > suicide crisis lines always feel the need to jump in with "solutions" > to my "problem".> > The reality for me is that I LONG to live a full and vibrant life; I > have an armful of values to move forward with & I am stuck in a body > that won't allow me to do what I want to. I have worked hard in the > decade following my injury to reclaim a life. And while I do have > some physical capabilities, they are so limited by this injury and I > struggle so much with the grief of what i've los and the frustration > that I cannot follow my dreams and pursue the life I am passionate to > live.> > Is there any specific work/research that has been done re: ACT and > disabilities? > > Weary Cheers,> phoenix..>

[Guest guest]

Deep bow, Phoenix.

A little tear formed in my eye as I read your post. I feel deeply (have tight

and heavy body sensations and lots of believed thoughts spinning in my head)

about longing for " my remembered self " .

I was diagnosised with a chronic illness some years back, which makes my panic

disorded life all the more 'interesting' ;-).

I know that ACT won't cure my disability. That is what appeals to me about the

concept.

I can have these thoughts and feelings (longing for my remembered self) just as

they are without trying to change them AND keep moving toward a value based

life.

Some days are easier than others ... last night I convinced myself that life was

linear and that taking such small steps would never get me close to my goals

because at this snails pace I simply wouldn't live that long! Big story, lots

of tears.

But in the light of today, I'm not sure life IS a linear process and maybe the

journey itself is more important than arriving at a destination.

Sorry, I drifted off about 'me' ... I CAN say that I am glad you are here and

looking at ACT with all of us. It's good to share the journey.

~Em

>

> I hope my post doesn't get lost in the midst of the recent Request

> thread because I am really struggling with this and hope someone here

> can help.

>

> There is SO much I want to do with my life and yet I am physically

> held back from moving forward. My disability is so very limiting &

> as I go through the workbook I am reminded of how much I miss my old

> life; the life I had before my injury.

>

> I really don't want to get into the details of my disability because

> people, especially well-intentioned people, always want to find a

> solution to my limitations and while I think that may be less likely

> to happen here in this forum, it almost always inevitably does. Even

> suicide crisis lines always feel the need to jump in with " solutions "

> to my " problem " .

>

> The reality for me is that I LONG to live a full and vibrant life; I

> have an armful of values to move forward with & I am stuck in a body

> that won't allow me to do what I want to. I have worked hard in the

> decade following my injury to reclaim a life. And while I do have

> some physical capabilities, they are so limited by this injury and I

> struggle so much with the grief of what i've los and the frustration

> that I cannot follow my dreams and pursue the life I am passionate to

> live.

>

> Is there any specific work/research that has been done re: ACT and

> disabilities?

>

> Weary Cheers,

> phoenix..

>

[Guest guest]

Phoenix, I am too new at this to advise, just wanted to say that I could relate to your dilemma. I think you are a remarkable person to look for ways to live within your physical limitations, and to realize your potential, regardless. So many people impose their *own* limitations, and then sit around pissing and moaning about how to move past, while all the time sitting in a jail cell with no lock on the door. I just think your attitude is extraordinary, and if there are means out there for you to accomplish your dreams, I believe that you will be the one to find them. Hugs, Goldiephoenix_rising06 wrote: I hope my post doesn't get lost in the midst of the recent Request thread because I am really struggling with this and hope someone here can help.There is SO much I want to do with my life and yet I am physically held back from moving forward. My disability is so very limiting & as I go through the workbook I am reminded of how much I miss my old life; the life I had before my injury. I really don't want to get into the details of my disability because people, especially well-intentioned people, always want to find a solution to my limitations and while I think that may be less likely to happen here in this forum, it almost always inevitably does. Even suicide crisis lines always feel the need to jump in with "solutions" to my "problem".The reality for me is that I LONG to live a full and vibrant

life; I have an armful of values to move forward with & I am stuck in a body that won't allow me to do what I want to. I have worked hard in the decade following my injury to reclaim a life. And while I do have some physical capabilities, they are so limited by this injury and I struggle so much with the grief of what i've los and the frustration that I cannot follow my dreams and pursue the life I am passionate to live.Is there any specific work/research that has been done re: ACT and disabilities? Weary Cheers,phoenix..

Talk is cheap. Use Yahoo! Messenger to make PC-to-Phone calls. Great rates starting at 1¢/min.

[Guest guest]

Phoenix, I think the reason you're getting a lot of empathy from this

group is that many of us have a common experience of suffering not

only because of loss, but because we haven't yet let go of a

particular self-image associated with that loss.

For example I am a writer; I once wrote novels but retreated from this

activity after various real (but also imagined) rejections. Although

it wasn't physical the loss still seems great.

My values work consistently suggests that I still seek aesthetic &

creative expression - yet I cling fiercely to dead conceptions of my

" self " as " failed writer. " This dead self seems more important than

actually doing something creative right now.

Lately I have gotten some hope from realizing that my old self died

yesterday, my new self was born this morning & will be reborn yet

again tomorrow. It's a little bit like having the leg irons removed

after years of prison life - not quite sure what to do with myself,

can't quite believe it. But this idea has helped let go of some dead

self-conceptions in certain social situations where normally I would

have behaved very rigidly. Haven't gotten to the point of applying

this perspective in other areas, but even so it's something new.

So interesting things are definitely possible with ACT - hope you give

it a try.

>

> I hope my post doesn't get lost in the midst of the recent Request

> thread because I am really struggling with this and hope someone here

> can help.

>

> There is SO much I want to do with my life and yet I am physically

> held back from moving forward. My disability is so very limiting &

> as I go through the workbook I am reminded of how much I miss my old

> life; the life I had before my injury.

>

> I really don't want to get into the details of my disability because

> people, especially well-intentioned people, always want to find a

> solution to my limitations and while I think that may be less likely

> to happen here in this forum, it almost always inevitably does. Even

> suicide crisis lines always feel the need to jump in with " solutions "

> to my " problem " .

>

> The reality for me is that I LONG to live a full and vibrant life; I

> have an armful of values to move forward with & I am stuck in a body

> that won't allow me to do what I want to. I have worked hard in the

> decade following my injury to reclaim a life. And while I do have

> some physical capabilities, they are so limited by this injury and I

> struggle so much with the grief of what i've los and the frustration

> that I cannot follow my dreams and pursue the life I am passionate to

> live.

>

> Is there any specific work/research that has been done re: ACT and

> disabilities?

>

> Weary Cheers,

> phoenix..

>

[Guest guest]

--- " usable_thought " wrote:

<<<Lately I have gotten some hope from realizing that my old self

died yesterday, my new self was born this morning & will be reborn

yet again tomorrow. It's a little bit like having the leg irons

removed after years of prison life - not quite sure what to do with

myself, can't quite believe it.>>>

Oh I like this. As I read your post I saw an image of a

catterpiller coming out of a cocoon. " My old self died " ... and

there is no going back to doing the catterpiller type things I use

to do. But as long as I hold on to my remembered self as

catterpiller ... I won't ever notice these wings on my back and what

I can use them for today.

The sinking feeling I've been having the last couple of days seems

to belong to wanting and trying so hard to be a catterpiller again.

Afterall, I still see catterpillers out there ... and they look

perfectly happy and content. My goals have all been structured to

get me back to living my old life as catterpiller. The possibility

that my new body/mind might be designed for different adventures and

journeys ... well that's just awesome to consider.

Maybe instead of " leaping " off sheets of paper (tiny steps toward

familiar objectives) I can now consider stretching my wings in

preparation to fly.

Wow.

~Em

[Guest guest]

Hello,

All I can think to tell you is that ACT is for all of us, the

temporarily abled (after all, each one of us will one day become

disabled in one way or another) or the disabled).

You just choose to accept the disability and live in the present.

Have you gotten the book and started doing the exercises in writing

thoughtfully and slowly. Use great attention to how the writers

explain what they want you to do and the exercises will turn your

head around. Some people say the exercises are " mystical " . Nope.

Just nonverbal. Somewhat counterintuitive. At least counter to

what our minds want to tell us to do.

We simply have to thank our minds, " Thank you for sharing " , often

and then go about our lives without being pulled and pushed by what

our minds are trying to control in us.

You sound very motivated and that's great. That'll go a long way in

your actions in getting into the ACT program. I'm only a couple of

months into it myself, and learning more and more each week. I do

know that I have to read and re-read passages from the book and from

this list a lot to try to get it past old assumptions about so many

things.

So get your self immersed in the program and you will begin to feel

more comfortable I think. I have found that this list is full of

caring and confident people who will help you. But the book is

essential!

Blessings,

Margie

>

> I hope my post doesn't get lost in the midst of the recent Request

> thread because I am really struggling with this and hope someone

here

> can help.

>

> There is SO much I want to do with my life and yet I am physically

> held back from moving forward. My disability is so very limiting

&

> as I go through the workbook I am reminded of how much I miss my

old

> life; the life I had before my injury.

>

> I really don't want to get into the details of my disability

because

> people, especially well-intentioned people, always want to find a

> solution to my limitations and while I think that may be less

likely

> to happen here in this forum, it almost always inevitably does.

Even

> suicide crisis lines always feel the need to jump in

with " solutions "

> to my " problem " .

>

> The reality for me is that I LONG to live a full and vibrant life;

I

> have an armful of values to move forward with & I am stuck in a

body

> that won't allow me to do what I want to. I have worked hard in

the

> decade following my injury to reclaim a life. And while I do have

> some physical capabilities, they are so limited by this injury and

I

> struggle so much with the grief of what i've los and the

frustration

> that I cannot follow my dreams and pursue the life I am passionate

to

> live.

>

> Is there any specific work/research that has been done re: ACT and

> disabilities?

>

> Weary Cheers,

> phoenix..

>