Section 1.1: The Intersection of Stoicism and ACT

Both CBT and Stoicism emphasize the behavioral aspects of change. Stoicism involves what Pierre Hadot refers to as "spiritual exercises" aimed at transforming beliefs, actions, and impulses through rehabilitation (Hadot, 1995, pp. 88–125; Sellars, 2009; Sharpe, 2018). While there are numerous exercises available, we will highlight five practices in this series:

1. Techniques for "defusing" from negative repetitive thoughts (examining impressions).
2. Strategies for minimizing reliance on factors beyond our control to alleviate stress (discussed in the next blog).
3. Anticipating adversities to mitigate anxiety and fear while fostering courage.
4. Managing anger and insults, recognizing that such negativity often arises from others.
5. Exercises focused on connecting with and maintaining awareness of one’s core values.

This exploration will likely extend over the next few weeks.

What Is Defusing?

In ACT, the tendency to "fuse" with thoughts is identified as a major contributor to unnecessary distress. When we become fused with a thought, we lose psychological distance from it, leading to overwhelming feelings. For example:

• "Everyone dislikes me."
• "I am such a failure."
• "I’m superior to them; why can't they see that?"
• "I will prove them wrong."

When caught in this fusion, we become consumed by these thoughts, which dominate our perspective and dictate our emotional state, often repeating like a stuck record.

To counter this, ACT encourages clients to "defuse" from distressing thoughts, allowing them to observe and analyze these thoughts critically rather than reacting impulsively as if they were irrefutably true. This might involve labeling repetitive thoughts: “Ah, there’s the doom-and-gloom radio again,” or “That’s my inner critic chiming in.”

By creating this mental distance, we open ourselves to new perspectives and actions.

The Stoic Approach to Thought Examination

What does defusion have to do with ancient Stoicism? The Roman philosopher Epictetus proposed that the essence of Stoic practice is cultivating a critical awareness of our thoughts and their impact on our emotions, moods, and behaviors. Echoing Socrates, who believed that an unexamined life is not worth living, Epictetus argued that unexamined thoughts are often unworthy of our attention (Epictetus, Discourses, III, 12; cf. II, 18).

For instance, we might react emotionally without fully understanding a situation, fear outcomes that aren’t certain, or feel anger towards someone who didn’t intend to offend us. In his Enchiridion (Handbook), Epictetus advises us to respond to negative external impressions or internal impulses by practicing the following:

"Immediately practice saying to every harsh appearance: You are an appearance, and in no way what you appear to be." (Enchiridion, §1)

This exercise serves as a form of defusion. When a negative thought demands our immediate attention, we identify it as just that—an "appearance" or thought about something that is often not present, like a workplace bully or an upcoming deadline. We then address it in the second person, much like ACT suggests we label our negative thoughts.

In this way, we begin to establish an observing self that distances itself from the thought, diminishing its power over us.

Next, Epictetus introduces the dichotomy of control, encouraging us to discern what is within our control and what is not. We can ask ourselves: Is this worry something I can influence right now? If it pertains to work issues at 2 AM while at home, the answer is undoubtedly "no."

Recognizing that we are ruminating over matters beyond our immediate influence allows us to practice letting go. This doesn’t mean passively accepting every situation but rather scheduling time to address concerns when we are equipped to do so. We can reassure ourselves that we will confront worries at a more appropriate time, preventing unnecessary distress.

For individuals experiencing severe anxiety or PTSD, this process can be particularly challenging, and additional treatments may be necessary. Nevertheless, the Stoic exercise of acknowledging that every harsh thought is merely an appearance remains a valuable tool in managing negative rumination.