What is Cognitive De-fusion?
Getting ‘Fused’ to Your Thoughts and Feelings
Cognitive fusion occurs when you become so entangled with your thoughts that you start to see them as absolute truths, rather than just passing mental events. This fusion can lead to rigid thinking and make it difficult to take actions that align with your values, as you’re overly influenced by these thoughts.
Problem is when we focus on them they tend to grow (Link).
However, we are more than our thoughts - we can choose to take a step back from our thoughts and observe them without engaging with them. This is called ‘cognitive defusion’.
In Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, the goal is to create cognitive defusion, which helps you see thoughts for what they are—just thoughts—so they have less control over your behavior.
Radio Doom and Gloom
“Radio Doom and Gloom” describes how negative thoughts can feel like a constant, negative radio broadcast in your mind. This metaphor helps you realise that while these thoughts are there, like background noise, you don’t have to focus on them or let them control your actions. It encourages you to acknowledge the thoughts but choose to listen to more positive or value-driven “stations” instead.
The Stageshow
The stageshow illustrates how you are like the director of a play, with your thoughts and emotions as the actors on stage. While the actors (your thoughts) may be loud and demanding attention, you have the choice to step back, observe the show, and decide how much influence they should have on your actions.
Jigsaw Pieces
This is reproduced from the Association of Contextual Behaviour Science.
When an unwanted or distressing thought arises, I try seeing it on a jigsaw piece.
My jigsaw has many pieces, each representing the many different aspects of myself and my experience.
I see the jigsaw piece with my thought (or feeling) on it as it finds its alloted place in my jigsaw.
There is a space for this piece. It is a perfect fit. It belongs here, for whatever reason, even if I don't understand or want it.
It is a part of my experience. Just that. Even if this piece looks ugly or painful or disturbing, it is one piece of a large and beautiful picture.
Other Cognitive De-fusion Strategies
In the moment, you might like to consider the following:
Put Your Thoughts on Clouds:
Imagine placing your thoughts on clouds high in the sky.
Watch as the clouds slowly drift away.
Remind yourself that thoughts—just like clouds—have no actual substance as they come and go.
Use a Silly Voice:
Write down your upsetting thought, then read it out loud 10 times in a silly voice.
Try impersonating a cartoon character or a favorite actor.
The more ridiculous, the better!
File Your Thoughts Away:
Visualize folders with labels for types of thinking, such as predicting, regretting, comparing, doubting, and so on.
Bring attention to your thoughts and file them into the corresponding folders.
Name the Story:
Think of repetitive thoughts as familiar stories.
Pay attention to how often they recur, like the “I’m-a-failure” story or the “no-one-likes-me” story.
Click the “X” Button:
Imagine your thoughts as browser windows on your computer.
Picture yourself closing the windows by clicking the “X” on each of them.
Watch as thoughts disappear, one by one!
Screen Your Thoughts:
Imagine your thoughts projected onto a large movie screen.
Sit in the back row and watch the scenes unfold.
Observe the movie without getting lost in it.
Say “I’m Having the Thought That…”:
When you have an upsetting thought, put the phrase “I’m having the thought that…” in front of it.
This creates distance between you and the thought, loosening its grip on you.
Zoom Out:
When fused with a thought, picture yourself rising high above the earth.
Notice how tiny your worries look from space.
Consider if your triggering thought feels as significant from this distance.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is available from our Geelong Psychologist. Contact us for more details or to make a referral.