Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
A. Tom Horvath, Ph.D., ABPP, Kaushik Misra, Ph.D., Amy K. Epner, Ph.D., and Galen Morgan Cooper, Ph.D. , edited by C. E. Zupanick, Psy.D.Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) was developed by Steven Hayes, Ph.D. (Hayes, Strosahl & Wilson, 2011). It is another hybrid form of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). It is quite similar to DBT. Both therapies teach clients about mindfulness and Eastern meditative practices. ACT focuses on "cognitive defusion." According to ACT, during times of distress we often become "fused" with our thoughts and feelings. As such, we elevate their importance. In a sense, we start to believe we are our thoughts and feelings. Similarly, we can mistakenly believe our thoughts and feelings represent facts about our world and ourselves. Traditional CBT encourages people to change their thoughts and feelings. In contrast, ACT encourages people to simply notice and accept their thoughts and feelings for what they are: merely thoughts and feelings of no particular importance other than the importance we assign them. People learn to say to themselves, "Oh, I'm having a thought about cocaine. I'm having a feeling it would be fun to use again." From this perspective, there is no impetus to use cocaine, nor is cocaine fun. It is merely a thought about those things. Therapy participants learn to fully experience the present moment without attachment to specific thoughts and feelings. Eventually people discover their core values and commit to a course of action based on those values. ACT is an evidence-based treatment for addictions as well as several other disorders. You can learn more about ACT here.
Resources
Articles
- What is Addiction?
- Introduction to What is An Addiction
- Definition of Addiction
- Definiton of Addiction Continued
- The Addiction Definition Compared to Other Addiction Terms
- How Do I Know if I Have An Addiction?
- Why Don't They Just Stop? Addiction and the Loss of Control
- Is Alcoholism a Disease?
- Addiction Statistics: How Big of a Problem Is It?
- A Brief History of Alcoholism
- What Causes Addiction?
- Introduction to Causes of Addiction
- The Many Causes of Addiction and Bio-Psych-Social-Spiritual Model
- Biological Causes of Addiction
- Disease Model of Addiction and Recovery Implications
- Evolutionary Model of Addiction and Recovery Implications
- Psychological Causes of Addiction
- Learning Theory of Addiction and Recovery Implications:
- Social Learning Theory of Addiction and Recovery Implications
- Cognitive (Expectancy) Theory of Addiction and Recovery Implications
- Educational Model of Addiction and Recovery Implications
- Developmental Model of Addiction and Recovery Implications
- Sociological Causes of Addiction and the Temperance Model
- General Systems Theory of Addiction and Recovery Implications
- Sociocultural Model of Addiction and Recovery Implications
- Public Health Model of Addiction and Recovery Implications
- Moral and Spiritual Causes of Addiction
- Addiction and Personal Responsibility: A Fundamental Conflict
- Personal Responsibility and Locus of Control
- Controversies in the Addiction Field: Change Versus Acceptance
- Conflict between 12-Step Anonymous Groups and Science: A Historical Perspective
- Conflict between 12-Step Anonymous Groups and Science Continued
- How Do You Get Addicted?
- Introduction to How Do You Get Addicted?
- The Biology of Addiction and Recovery
- How Does Addiction Affect the Brain?
- Addiction Changes the Brain's Chemistry
- Addiction Changes the Brain's Communication Pathways
- Addiction Changes Brain Structures and Their Functioning
- Impaired Decision-making, Impulsivity, and Compulsivity: Addictions' Effect on the Cerebral Cortex
- Drug Seeking and Cravings: Addictions' Effect on the Brain's Reward System
- Habit Formation, Craving, Withdrawal, and Relapse Triggers: Addictions' Effect on the Amygdala
- Stress Regulation and Withdrawal: Addictions' Effect on the Hypothalamus
- The Good News: The Brain Also Helps to Reverse Addiction
- The Psychology of Addiction and Recovery
- Learning Theory and Addiction
- Classical Conditioning and Addiction
- Operant Conditioning and Addiction
- Social Learning Theory and Addiction
- Cognitive Theory and Addiction (Thoughts, Beliefs, Expectations)
- Cognitive Theory and Addiction Continued
- Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy: Improving Coping Skills
- Addiction and Other Psychological Disorders
- Developmental Theory and Addiction
- Recovery from Addiction: The Psychology of Motivation and Change
- Addiction: Social and Cultural Influences
- Addiction and Sociological Influences: Culture and Ethnicity
- Recovery from Addiction: Becoming Aware of Cultural Influences
- Recovery from Addiction: The Powerful Influence of Families
- Recovery from Addiction: Social Support
- The Spirituality of Addiction & Recovery
- The Spirituality of Addiction & Recovery Continued
- Incorporating Spirituality into Recovery from Addiction
- Signs and Symptoms of Addiction
- How Do You Know If You Have An Addiction?
- The Diagnostic Criteria for Substance Use Disorders (Addiction)
- The Diagnostic Criteria of Substance-Induced Disorders
- Alcohol-Related Disorders
- Caffeine-Use Disorders
- Cannabis-Related Disorders (Marijuana)
- Hallucinogen-Related Disorders
- Inhalant-Related Disorders
- Opioid-Related Disorders (Heroin, Oxycontin®, Vicodin® and other pain medications)
- Sedative-, Hypnotic-, Or Anxiolytic-Related Disorders
- Stimulant Use Disorder: Amphetamine Type (e.g., methamphetamine)
- Tobacco-Related Disorders
- Other Substance-Related Diagnosis and Unspecified Other Substance-Related Disorder
- Activity Addictions (Behavioral Addictions)
- Gambling Disorder (Addiction)
- Sexual Addiction and Pornography Addiction
- Other Activity (or Behavioral) Addictions: Internet Gaming Disorder (Addiction)
- Other Activity (or Behavioral) Addictions: Food Addiction
- Addiction and Other Psychological Disorders
- Addiction and Eating Disorders
- Addiction and Personality Disorders
- Addiction with Depression, Anxiety, and Compulsive Disorders
- Summary of the Diagnostic Process
- Treatment for Addiction
- Treatment for Addiction
- Natural Recovery: Recovery from Addiction Without Treatment
- Natural Recovery Continued
- Choosing An Effective Treatment Approach: Evidenced-Based Practices
- What Makes An Addictions Treatment Effective?
- Biological Approaches to Addiction Treatment: Medications
- The Role of Medication in Addictions Treatment
- Pharmacologic Medications for Addictions Treatment
- Pharmacologic Medications for Addictions Treatment: Part II
- Psychological Approaches to Addiction Treatment
- Motivation for Change: The Stages of Change Model
- Motivation for Change Continued
- Types of Evidenced-Based (Effective) Treatments for Addiction: Motivational Interviewing
- Relapse Prevention Therapy
- Contingency Management
- Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
- Dialectical Behavioral Therapy
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
- What The Pros Know: The Practical Recovery Model
- Social Approaches Addictions Recovery
- A Cultural Approach to Addictions Treatment: Harm Reduction
- Family Approaches to Addictions Treatment: CRAFT, Intervention And Al-Anon
- The Social Support Approach to Addictions Recovery: Recovery Support Groups
- Self-Empowering Support Groups for Addiction Recovery: Smart Recovery
- Moderation Management
- Women for Sobriety
- LifeRing Secular Recovery and Secular Organizations for Sobriety (SOS)
- Summary of Self-Empowering Support Groups
- Spiritual Approaches to Addiction Recovery
- 12-Step Support Groups: Groups That End With "Anonymous"
- 12-Step Support Groups: Part II
- 12-Step Support Groups: Part III
- Expanding Addiction Treatment Choices in the United States
- Developing a Personal Action Plan for Addiction Recovery: Part I
- Developing a Personal Action Plan for Addiction Recovery: Part II
- References
- Resources
- Frequentlly Asked Questions about Addiction
- What is Addiction?
News
- Pot Use Rises as Year Goes on: Study
- Hope Can Save People From Making Bad Choices: Study
- U.S. Drug Overdose Deaths Reach Record Highs
- Drinking Most Harmful at 3 Points in Life Span
- Binge Drinking Soared During Lockdown: Survey
- ADHD Medication ODs Rising in U.S. Kids, Teens
- Will Pot or CBD Make You a Worse Driver?
- Opioid Deaths in Young Americans Often Involve Other Drugs
- Nurse Practitioners Key to Opioid Treatment in Rural U.S.: Study
- Yes, Pot Is Stronger Now Than in Decades Past, Study Finds
- 40 more
- 'Diseases of Despair' Skyrocket in America
- More Young Adults in the U.S. Are Saying No to Alcohol
- Overdose Deaths From Cocaine Rising Dramatically
- Signs America's Opioid Epidemic Might Finally Be Waning
- Alcohol-Linked Deaths Rise Sharply in Rural America
- FDA Adds Abuse Warning to Labels for Xanax, Valium
- The Real Reason for 2018 Drop in Fatal U.S. Drug Overdoses
- COVID-19 Poses Added Risk for People With Addiction Disorders: Study
- Each Day Sober Slowly Helps Alcoholics' Brains Recover
- Many Deaths Labeled 'Cardiac Arrest' Could Be Drug ODs: Study
- PTSD Therapy Doesn't Trigger Drug Relapse in Addiction Patients: Study
- Pandemic Is Changing Addiction Care, for Better and Worse
- 'Iso,' a Deadly New Synthetic Opioid, Has Hit American Streets
- Older Gays, Lesbians at Higher Odds for Drug, Alcohol Abuse: Study
- Are Painkillers After Childbirth a Prescription for Addiction?
- Scientists Spot More Genes Linked to Problem Drinking
- When Booze Labels Carry Health Warnings, Drinking Declines: Study
- Heavy Pot Use Linked to Mental Problems, Even After Quitting
- AHA News: Cut Off From Counseling During the Coronavirus Pandemic? There Are Options
- Marijuana Withdrawal Is Real, Study Shows
- For Addicts in Recovery, Technology Preserves Bonds Despite COVID-19 Crisis
- Coronavirus Crisis Could Help Trigger Relapse Among Those Fighting Addiction
- Meth Use, Addiction on the Rise Among Americans: CDC
- Opioid OD Deaths Fall Despite Growing Use of Synthetic Drugs: CDC
- AA Still Best to Beat Problem Drinking, Review Finds
- Do Any Medications Help Ease Marijuana Dependence?
- Anti-Addiction Meds Key to Saving Lives of People Hooked on Opioids
- 5 Tips for Fighting Addiction
- Pot Use Among U.S. Seniors Nearly Doubled in 3 Years
- Alcohol-Linked Deaths Soaring in U.S., Women Hit Hardest
- Use of Club Drug 'Special K' Could Be Underreported
- U.S. Heroin Use Nearly Doubled Over Two Decades
- Family Members Are Swiping Hospice Patients' Painkillers: Study
- Can Siri or Alexa Help You Beat Addiction? Don't Count on It
- Dentists Among Top Prescribers of Opioids
- Eating Disorders, Exercise Addiction Go Hand in Hand: Study
- Could You Save a Life From Opioid Overdose?
- Opioid Addiction Med Under-Used in Younger People, Study Finds
- Opioid Prescriptions to Teens, Young Adults Still Common
- Health Tip: Talk to Your Kids About Alcohol
Tests
Self-Help Groups
Links
Videos
- Technology Addiction
- Why People Can Become Addicted to Opioids
- The Swiss Cheese Model of Drug Addiction
- The 7 Skills for Addiction-Free Living: Alternatives to Substance Abuse
- Teen Drug Use: 2014 Monitoring The Future Survey Results
- Sex and Gender Differences of Importance to Addiction Science
- How to Tell if a Loved One is Abusing Opioids
- Why Addiction is a “Disease” and Why Is It Important
- NIDA Emerging Drugs-Methylone and Molly
- Treatment of Addiction
- 44 more
- Designed to Drink? The Genetics of Alcoholism
- Treatment of Addiction
- Women and Addiction: Why Gender Matters
- Designed to Drink? The Genetics of Alcoholism
- Gaming disorder: questions and answers
- What is Addiction?
- ADHD & Risk of Adult Drug Use
- Energy Drink Sparking More ER Visits
- Addiction Video
- Why are Drugs So Hard To Quit
- Anyone Can Become Addicted to Drugs
- Substance Use: Addiction Theories New Treatments and the Role of Doctoring in Society
- The Impact of Changing Social Behaviors on Teen Drug Use
- Teen Substance Use
- Cannabis Effects on Driving Performance
- Epidemiology of Tobacco Use
- Addiction: Learning to Forget
- Addiction: What Can I Do About It?
- Addiction: Treat It Like a Disease
- Addiction: What Is It?
- One in 4 People Prescribed Opioids Progresses to Longer-Term Prescriptions
- NIDA’s Dr. Phil Skolnick discusses intranasal naloxone
- "Eyes On" Research in Drugged Driving
- How Will Anti-Drug Vaccines Be Used? An Interview With Dr. Thomas Kosten
- Opioid Use in Pregnancy: A Community’s Approach
- Naloxone Rescue Kits
- Living Without Fear
- Chronic Pain, Heroin, and the US Epidemic of Opioid Abuse
- What You Need to Know About Internet Addiction
- Hooked, Hacked, Hijacked: Reclaim Your Brain from Addictive Living
- The Neuroscience of Internet Addiction
- Internet Addiction: Signs You Need to Shut Down
- What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains
- Addressing Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors in Substance Abuse Treatment
- The Reward Circuit: How the Brain Responds to Cocaine
- The Reward Circuit: How the Brain Responds to Methamphetamine
- The Reward Circuit: How the Brain Responds to Marijuana
- The Reward Circuit: How the Brain Responds to Natural Rewards and Drugs
- Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention (MBRP) for Addictions Video (vol. 1)
- Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention for Addictions (vol. 2)
- Prescription Opioid Misuse
- Substance Use Disorders/Addictions - Clinical Overview
- Addiction in the Elderly
- Teenagers, ADHD, and Substance Abuse
Topics
Related Topic Centers
Abuse
ADHD: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Adoption
Autism
Child & Adolescent Development: Overview
Child & Adolescent Development: Puberty
Child Development & Parenting: Early (3-7)
Child Development & Parenting: Infants (0-2)
Child Development & Parenting: Middle (8-11)
Child Development & Parenting:Adolescence (12-24)
Child Development Theory: Adolescence (12-24)
Child Development Theory: Middle Childhood (8-11)
Childhood Mental Disorders and Illnesses
Childhood Special Education
Divorce
Family & Relationship Issues
Intellectual Disabilities
Learning Disorders
Oppositional Defiant Disorder
Parenting
Self Esteem
Anxiety Disorders
Bipolar Disorder
Conversion Disorders
Depression: Depression & Related Conditions
Dissociative Disorders
Domestic Violence and Rape
Eating Disorders
Impulse Control Disorders
Intellectual Disabilities
Mental Disorders
Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders
Personality Disorders
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Schizophrenia
Sexual Disorders
Somatic Symptom and Related Disorders
Suicide
Tourettes and other Tic Disorders