Cognitive Defusion
You are not your thoughts. From Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), this tool helps you unhook from a sticky thought: type it out, watch it appear as a bubble labelled “just a thought,” then drag it away to loosen its hold.
Free · No signup · Runs in your browser · Nothing is stored
How it works
- 1Type out the sticky or unhelpful thought on your mind.
- 2Watch it appear as a floating bubble labelled “just a thought.”
- 3Drag the bubble away and let it drift off.
- 4Notice the small distance that opens between you and the thought.
Benefits
- Weakens the grip of unhelpful or intrusive thoughts
- Creates psychological distance from your thinking
- Refocuses attention on what actually matters
- A fast, visual ACT technique
The science
Cognitive defusion is a core process in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Seeing thoughts as passing mental events — rather than literal truths — reduces their influence on behaviour.
Frequently asked questions
What is cognitive defusion?⌄
Cognitive defusion is an ACT technique for relating to thoughts as passing mental events rather than facts, which loosens their grip and frees you to act on your values.
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