Defusion from Thoughts

Do you ever find yourself having an emotional reaction to a thought you have had? Perhaps you felt anxious, angry, worried or sad. That thought might then lead to a stream of other thoughts that seem to fuel that fire of emotion which we may call a negative thought spiral.

One strategy that can be helpful when we are finding ourselves wrapped up in our thoughts is called defusion. Through this strategy you may find that your emotional reaction in response to your thought is different. Here’s how to do it. Say to yourself out loud or in your head a thought that distresses you and then rate your level of distress out of 10 (10 being the most distressed). Then add “I’m thinking…” ahead of the original thought and rate your level of distress out of 10. See if it has changed at all. Lastly, add “I noticed that I am thinking…” ahead of the original thought. Did it change again?

This strategy can be helpful for creating some space between ourselves and our thoughts. This space may provide some relief from the emotional intensity of the thought which may consequently put us in a better position to consciously choose our next action.