Intrusive Thoughts and Overthinking: The Skill of Cognitive Defusion 20/30 | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

Learn how to separate yourself from your thoughts through cognitive defusion to improve mental health and live a values-driven life.

Key Insights

• 💭 Our thoughts significantly impact our perception of the world and ourselves.
• 💭 Struggling against negative thoughts can be exhausting and unproductive.
• 💭 Cognitive defusion allows us to separate ourselves from our thoughts and choose which thoughts to buy into.
• 🧑‍⚕️ By practicing cognitive defusion, we can live a values-driven life and improve our mental health.
• 💭 Recognizing that thoughts are just thoughts and not necessarily reality can give us freedom and flexibility in our lives.
• 💭 Cognitive defusion can be practiced through various techniques such as labeling thoughts, giving thoughts names, or symbolically putting thoughts onto objects.
• 💭 It's important to consider whether a thought is helpful and aligns with our values before buying into it.

Transcript

You have a million thoughts a day, but you don't  even notice them; you just believe them. We swim   through our thoughts like a fish swims through  water - we don't even notice that the way we think   colors our view of the world. Or sometimes we do  notice, right. Sometimes we notice thoughts we   don't like, and then we don't know what to do wit... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: What is cognitive fusion?

Cognitive fusion is when you look through the lens of your thoughts, believing and buying into every thought that passes through your mind.

Q: How does cognitive defusion help in overcoming anxiety and depression?

Cognitive defusion allows you to create space between yourself and your thoughts, giving you the freedom to choose which thoughts are helpful and act on them, while letting unhelpful thoughts pass through.

Q: How can cognitive defusion be practiced in daily life?

You can practice cognitive defusion by noticing your thoughts, labeling them, thanking your mind for the thoughts, symbolically putting your thoughts onto objects, and using silly voices or repetitive phrases to distance yourself from your thoughts.

Q: How does cognitive defusion differ from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)?

Cognitive defusion is an additional skill that can be used alongside CBT. While CBT challenges distorted thinking, cognitive defusion focuses on separating yourself from your thoughts and choosing your actions.

Q: What is cognitive fusion?

Cognitive fusion is when you look through the lens of your thoughts, believing and buying into every thought that passes through your mind.

More Insights

• Our thoughts significantly impact our perception of the world and ourselves.

• Struggling against negative thoughts can be exhausting and unproductive.

• Cognitive defusion allows us to separate ourselves from our thoughts and choose which thoughts to buy into.

• By practicing cognitive defusion, we can live a values-driven life and improve our mental health.

• Recognizing that thoughts are just thoughts and not necessarily reality can give us freedom and flexibility in our lives.

• Cognitive defusion can be practiced through various techniques such as labeling thoughts, giving thoughts names, or symbolically putting thoughts onto objects.

• It's important to consider whether a thought is helpful and aligns with our values before buying into it.

• Cognitive defusion is a powerful tool for processing emotions and overcoming anxiety and depression.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Our thoughts shape our view of the world, and struggling against negative thoughts can be draining and unhelpful.

• Cognitive defusion is the practice of looking at your thoughts instead of through them, giving you power over your thoughts instead of letting them run the show.

• By recognizing and choosing which thoughts to buy into, you can separate yourself from your thoughts and live a more fulfilling life.