Guest guest Posted April 1, 2009 Report Share Posted April 1, 2009 Hi all,I've haven't sent anything here in a while, as I had a number of other things going on that distracted me from the group. Now that I'm back and reading, I've had some thoughts about ACT that I'd like to share and get clarity on, so here goes. As I understand it, one of the key ideas in ACT is the notion that we really don't have 'broken minds', as some schools of thought might say. Instead, some people struggle more than others with the thoughts and emotions of our conscious experience, and ACT seeks to help us learn to end the struggle. Now, some may have clinically diagnosed biological conditions such as chronic depression and schizophrenia, but in the most part are the labels of depression and anxiety over-used in diagnosis? Take for instance something personal, the common 'condition' known as shyness. I take on the label of being a shy person, because I have a certain amount of anxiety in interpersonal communication. My impression of ACT is that I need to ask of this label, is it helpful in living a good life? If not, then I should really drop it, or at least treat it as just a story. In dealing with the day-to-day of say making friends and dating, where core beliefs hold me as undesirable, instead of an approach like CBT where I directly challenge this belief, I am to defuse it, accept it, so that I might reach the point where it no longer has power over my actions. It's been a while now since I first picked up The Happiness Trap and GOOYMAITL, and I've done some deeper reading in ' earlier text, as well as many counseling sessions with an ACT-trained therapist. Being a first-year psychology student, I really do see how well ACT fits within the field, and look forward to seeing it flourish. -- Meade Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 1, 2009 Report Share Posted April 1, 2009 > > Hi all, > I've haven't sent anything here in a while, as I had a number of other > things going on that distracted me from the group. Now that I'm back and > reading, I've had some thoughts about ACT that I'd like to share and get > clarity on, so here goes. > > As I understand it, one of the key ideas in ACT is the notion that we really > don't have 'broken minds', as some schools of thought might say. Instead, > some people struggle more than others with the thoughts and emotions of our > conscious experience, and ACT seeks to help us learn to end the struggle. > Now, some may have clinically diagnosed biological conditions such as > chronic depression and schizophrenia, but in the most part are the labels of > depression and anxiety over-used in diagnosis? Just my take, . I don't think it makes sense to describe any mental disorders as just biological as biology affects thinking and is affected by it too. Calling these disorders biological doesn't mean they are different from any other kind of anxiety in my view. I don't know about over diagnosis. It may be that too many people are given the impression that they are " abnormal " if they suffer from anxiety while anxiety is a normal adaptive reaction in general. But if you don't get a diagnosis generally speaking and you are really ill you may not get access to treatment, here in the UK anyway. And diagnoses are what seem to drive most research although this seems to be changing too. No doubt drugs companies are getting all they can out of us by encouraging us to take our anxiety seriously though. They obviously thrive if there are more indications for their drugs and the more disorders the better for them. I suppose the same might be said of therapists though<smile>. I think the way a diagnosis is given is probably the most important thing. If it is given as a life sentence it may not help. If it is seen as a way to a better life that's good. Louise > > Take for instance something personal, the common 'condition' known as > shyness. I take on the label of being a shy person, because I have a > certain amount of anxiety in interpersonal communication. My impression of > ACT is that I need to ask of this label, is it helpful in living a good > life? If not, then I should really drop it, or at least treat it as just a > story. In dealing with the day-to-day of say making friends and dating, > where core beliefs hold me as undesirable, instead of an approach like CBT > where I directly challenge this belief, I am to defuse it, accept it, so > that I might reach the point where it no longer has power over my actions. > > It's been a while now since I first picked up The Happiness Trap and > GOOYMAITL, and I've done some deeper reading in ' earlier text, as well > as many counseling sessions with an ACT-trained therapist. Being a > first-year psychology student, I really do see how well ACT fits within the > field, and look forward to seeing it flourish. > > > -- > Meade > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 4, 2009 Report Share Posted April 4, 2009 Thank you for the response Louise. I did mean to use the term 'biological' loosely, only to include those who are quite dependent on medication to cope with the symptoms of depression and/or anxiety. I'm also interested in the possibility that certain symptoms are classified as depression or anxiety, and then treated as a major illness, when as you suggest they are simply normal fluctuations of life. I remember reading Eckhart Tolle talking about people making an identity out of their illness, for the label puts them in a category that makes them feel a little special. Hmmm.....that's really food for thought. 2009/4/1 Louise >> Hi all,> I've haven't sent anything here in a while, as I had a number of other > things going on that distracted me from the group. Now that I'm back and> reading, I've had some thoughts about ACT that I'd like to share and get> clarity on, so here goes.> > As I understand it, one of the key ideas in ACT is the notion that we really > don't have 'broken minds', as some schools of thought might say. Instead,> some people struggle more than others with the thoughts and emotions of our> conscious experience, and ACT seeks to help us learn to end the struggle. > Now, some may have clinically diagnosed biological conditions such as> chronic depression and schizophrenia, but in the most part are the labels of> depression and anxiety over-used in diagnosis? Just my take, . I don't think it makes sense to describe any mental disorders as just biological as biology affects thinking and is affected by it too. Calling these disorders biological doesn't mean they are different from any other kind of anxiety in my view. I don't know about over diagnosis. It may be that too many people are given the impression that they are " abnormal " if they suffer from anxiety while anxiety is a normal adaptive reaction in general. But if you don't get a diagnosis generally speaking and you are really ill you may not get access to treatment, here in the UK anyway. And diagnoses are what seem to drive most research although this seems to be changing too. No doubt drugs companies are getting all they can out of us by encouraging us to take our anxiety seriously though. They obviously thrive if there are more indications for their drugs and the more disorders the better for them. I suppose the same might be said of therapists though<smile>. I think the way a diagnosis is given is probably the most important thing. If it is given as a life sentence it may not help. If it is seen as a way to a better life that's good.Louise > > Take for instance something personal, the common 'condition' known as> shyness. I take on the label of being a shy person, because I have a> certain amount of anxiety in interpersonal communication. My impression of > ACT is that I need to ask of this label, is it helpful in living a good> life? If not, then I should really drop it, or at least treat it as just a> story. In dealing with the day-to-day of say making friends and dating, > where core beliefs hold me as undesirable, instead of an approach like CBT> where I directly challenge this belief, I am to defuse it, accept it, so> that I might reach the point where it no longer has power over my actions. > > It's been a while now since I first picked up The Happiness Trap and> GOOYMAITL, and I've done some deeper reading in ' earlier text, as well> as many counseling sessions with an ACT-trained therapist. Being a > first-year psychology student, I really do see how well ACT fits within the> field, and look forward to seeing it flourish.> > > -- > Meade> -- Meade Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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