Thought Diffusion

A technique from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in which a person creates psychological distance from an intrusive thought by recognizing and naming it as simply a thought, rather than treating it as a fact or a command to act. For example, instead of reacting to the thought "my hands are contaminated," a person might observe "I am having the thought that my hands are contaminated." Thought diffusion helps reduce the power of obsessive thoughts to trigger anxiety and compulsive behavior, complementing the behavioral focus of Exposure and Response Prevention.