5 Ways to Detach From Anxious Thoughts Through Cognitive Defusion

Table of ContentsView AllTable of Contents5 Ways to Practice Cognitive DefusionUsing Cognitive Defusion Exercises

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5 Ways to Practice Cognitive Defusion

Using Cognitive Defusion Exercises

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A core component of anxiety—be it subclinical anxiety or anxiety that meets the threshold for ageneralized anxiety disorder(GAD) diagnosis—is anxious thinking that can, at times, feel uncontrollable.

Psychotherapies for anxiety, likeacceptance and commitment therapy(ACT) andcognitive-behavioral therapy(CBT), emphasize becoming more aware of the thoughts as thoughts and not truths. However, the next step in ACT is to learn ways to be “less fused” with the thoughts, in other words, cognitive defusion.

By changing the way you interact with your beliefs, you may begin to experience some relief.

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Here are five cognitive defusion exercises to try. Pick the one or two that most appeal to you, and try them repeatedly over the span of a few days. If it works, keep going with it; if it doesn’t, try another exercise on the list instead.

The purpose of these exercises is not to change the frequency with which you experience anxious thoughts (though if that happens for you, fantastic!). Rather, defusion exercises are effective if they decrease your attachment to a particular belief or set of beliefs that are not currently serving you well.

If you or a loved one are struggling with anxiety, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat1-800-662-4357for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

If you or a loved one are struggling with anxiety, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat1-800-662-4357for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.

For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

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3 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.NIMH.Generalized anxiety disorder: when worry gets out of control.Ruiz FJ, Luciano C, Flórez CL, Suárez-Falcón JC, Cardona-Betancourt V.A multiple-baseline evaluation of acceptance and commitment therapy focused on repetitive negative thinking for comorbid generalized anxiety disorder and depression.Front Psychol. 2020;11:356. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00356Bandelow B, Boerner J R, Kasper S, Linden M, Wittchen HU, Möller HJ.The diagnosis and treatment of generalized anxiety disorder.Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2013;110(17):300–310. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2013.0300Additional ReadingHayes, S.C., & Smith, S.Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life: The New Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. New York, NY: New Harbinger.

3 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.NIMH.Generalized anxiety disorder: when worry gets out of control.Ruiz FJ, Luciano C, Flórez CL, Suárez-Falcón JC, Cardona-Betancourt V.A multiple-baseline evaluation of acceptance and commitment therapy focused on repetitive negative thinking for comorbid generalized anxiety disorder and depression.Front Psychol. 2020;11:356. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00356Bandelow B, Boerner J R, Kasper S, Linden M, Wittchen HU, Möller HJ.The diagnosis and treatment of generalized anxiety disorder.Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2013;110(17):300–310. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2013.0300Additional ReadingHayes, S.C., & Smith, S.Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life: The New Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. New York, NY: New Harbinger.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

NIMH.Generalized anxiety disorder: when worry gets out of control.Ruiz FJ, Luciano C, Flórez CL, Suárez-Falcón JC, Cardona-Betancourt V.A multiple-baseline evaluation of acceptance and commitment therapy focused on repetitive negative thinking for comorbid generalized anxiety disorder and depression.Front Psychol. 2020;11:356. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00356Bandelow B, Boerner J R, Kasper S, Linden M, Wittchen HU, Möller HJ.The diagnosis and treatment of generalized anxiety disorder.Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2013;110(17):300–310. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2013.0300

NIMH.Generalized anxiety disorder: when worry gets out of control.

Ruiz FJ, Luciano C, Flórez CL, Suárez-Falcón JC, Cardona-Betancourt V.A multiple-baseline evaluation of acceptance and commitment therapy focused on repetitive negative thinking for comorbid generalized anxiety disorder and depression.Front Psychol. 2020;11:356. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00356

Bandelow B, Boerner J R, Kasper S, Linden M, Wittchen HU, Möller HJ.The diagnosis and treatment of generalized anxiety disorder.Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2013;110(17):300–310. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2013.0300

Hayes, S.C., & Smith, S.Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life: The New Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. New York, NY: New Harbinger.

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