More than 19 million people in the United States have anxiety disorders, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Unlike everyday worries about work or relationships, anxiety disorders are serious conditions that can lead to panic attacks, nightmares and obsessive behaviors. Many people need medication and therapy to manage their anxiety disorders, and some people find acceptance therapies helpful.
Identification
Acceptance and commitment therapy, or ACT, is a fairly recent addition to therapy practices used to treat anxiety, says Chris McCurry, Ph.D., a psychologist with Associates in Behavior and Child Development Inc. in Seattle. Acceptance and commitment therapy uses some techniques associated with cognitive behavior therapy but combines them with acceptance, committed action, values, mindfulness and cognitive diffusion, according to the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science.
Significance
When you use acceptance and commitment therapy to treat anxiety, you learn to deal with your anxiety in flexible and mindful ways instead of trying to ignore or overcome it. On his website, ChrisMcCurry.com, McCurry explains that acceptance and commitment therapy works for many people because it doesn't attempt to cure anxiety but rather teaches ways of dealing with it.
Function
Often, people with anxiety use a technique known as experiential avoidance to cope with their anxiety, Martha Beck, a life coach and columnist, writes in O, The Oprah Magazine. Beck explains that people go to extremes to avoid situations that cause them anxiety, often creating more anxiety for themselves. Acceptance and commitment therapy helps people escape from the cycle of avoidance and anxiety by gradually increasing their ability to act despite their discomfort.
Benefits
According to a study published in 2009 in the journal Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, people with anxiety disorders who participated in acceptance and commitment therapy for 12 weeks reported increased quality of life and fewer incidents of anxiety and distress. The study found that acceptance and commitment therapy also decreased experiential avoidance and increased acceptance skills.
Warning
Anxiety disorders can be a serious condition, and while acceptance and commitment therapy can help manage them, if your symptoms are long-lasting or interfere with your everyday life, make an appointment with a mental health professional. You may need medication or other forms of therapy.
References
- National Institute of Mental Health: Facts About Anxiety Disorders
- Cognitive and Behavioral Practice: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Anxiety Disorders: Three Case Studies Exemplifying a Unified Treatment Protocol
- Association for Contextual Behavioral Science: About ACT
- ChrisMcCurry.com: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
- O Magazine: Guide to Avoiding Avoidance
