Cognitive Fusion vs Defusion in ACT
MidAmerican Psychological Institute
Pickslyde Consulting
Key Points
- The ability to use complex language helps our species survive in this dynamic world.
- We almost can’t stop using language. We can’t stop thinking. Sometimes significantly problematic thoughts impede a life well lived. We call this cognitive fusion.
- Thoughts occur with automaticity.
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Transcript
The human condition creates a situation for us. We have the ability to use complex language to describe and evaluate our world and then come up with solutions to make the world better for us. This skill of using language is so useful, so very reinforcing. Talking about the world helps our species survive.
But we get so caught up in our language that people sometimes can’t stop using the language. Individuals are constantly thinking and our culture really encourages the continued use of language. And there is a problem with this. While language is really helpful, there is a dark side. Sometimes, we can’t stop using our thoughts and these thoughts that we have can be hurtful or make us so distracted that we miss important opportunities for doing valued actions or guide us to believe unhelpful ways of living our lives.