Mental health and its maintenance, restoration and attainment should be close to all our hearts. While the topic of mental stress and disorders was still a taboo subject in older generations, it is fortunately attracting more attention in generations Y and Z. No wonder, given that on average one in five people will experience at least one episode of depression in the course of their lives, and around a quarter will experience some form of anxiety disorder. These figures are from before the pandemic - and things certainly haven't changed for the better in this regard thanks to the pandemic. And that's to say nothing of milder mental stress, which may not fulfil any diagnostic criteria but certainly doesn't feel "easy".
Mental health according to ACT
But what can we do? Today I would like to briefly and concisely introduce mental health in the sense of Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT). Here, mental health means psychological flexibility. When we are psychologically flexible, we do not act on autopilot and according to fixed patterns, but have the ability to adapt our behaviour flexibly to the circumstances at hand in order to act effectively. We are able to take responsibility for our own actions. This involves three components.
Psychological flexibility: Be present, open up and do what matters.
1. Be present
Being present means being connected to the present moment. It means focussing entirely on what you are currently doing or perceiving. This relates to the external environment, but also to your inner experience. In other words, you are fully focused on the task at hand instead of worrying about the future or wallowing in the past. Being present is a powerful remedy against rumination, and can promote enjoyment.
Presence also means recognising that one's own feelings and thoughts are only a part of oneself, much like chess pieces (thoughts and feelings) on a chessboard (us, who perceive it all). This perspective is helpful when it comes to taking distance from entangling thoughts and feelings.
2. Open up
Being open means adopting an accepting attitude towards what cannot be changed. If there is an unpleasant situation that cannot be changed for the time being, this is usually accompanied by unpleasant feelings. Making space for unpleasant feelings means giving up the fight against these feelings so that your own energy can be better invested.
Openness also means recognising and defusing from difficult thoughts. These can be thoughts that criticise you or your environment, for example. Or worrying thoughts. When you learn to defuse from unpleasant thoughts, you take away their power to disturb you, burden you, depress you and cause you worry. Defusing thoughts means creating the necessary distance from them so that you can view them from a more neutral perspective.
3. Do what matters
On the one hand, doing what counts means knowing what counts, i.e. knowing your own values. To be aware of your own values is an important step and gives your life meaning. Your values are what you care deeply about. They point the way in life and help to motivate you to take important steps.
On the other hand, doing what matters means committing to action. Only when thoughts and words become actions can you create a life that is meaningful and rich. Commitment is important here - in other words, always acting effectively despite adverse circumstances such as setbacks and failures.
Dies sind also die drei Komponenten psychologischer Flexibilität in der ACT. In this 20-minutes TEDx talk co-founder of ACT Steven C. Heyes gives a moving talk on psychological flexibility and how he himself found a way to overcome his panic attacks with its help.
What do you think of the concept of psychological flexibility? What about your own mental health? Are you able to be present, open up and do what matters? If you are experiencing difficulties, I would be happy to guide you on the path to greater psychological flexibility. Just write me a message.