What is psychological flexibility?
Psychological flexibility is a state of mind in which we pursue productive activities despite the presence of unpleasant thoughts and feelings. Such thoughts can be linked to anxiety, depression or inhibitions of various kinds. Feelings can also include dejection, frustration, irritation and tiredness. Inflexibility arises when we treat these states as cues for unhelpful behaviour. Leading to repetitive stuckness in which we make the same mistakes over and over again.
For example, we may have the thought that we can’t go to a party because we don’t know anyone there, and it is too scary. Psychological inflexibility would be to stay at home, while psychological flexibility would be to bypass the anxious thoughts and go to the party anyway, because it is an opportunity to meet new people. Stuckness appears when our automatic reaction to a party invitation is to avoid it.
A 2019 survey looked at psychological inflexibility in college students and demonstrated a high correlation between P.I. and stress reactions as well as anxiety. However, it may be these students were reacting to anxiety as a cue for inflexibile behaviour, rather than being directly caused by it.
Psychological flexibility is one of the key aims in Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT). It is also a basic principle in Behavioural Activation Therapy, originally designed to treat clinical depression. In that model engaging in productive behaviour (regardless of depressed thoughts) is seen to lift mood, thereby leading to a reduction in the depressed state and, in turn, to more productive activities. A visual aid to this model is available here.
Psychological flexibility was first described (although it is not called that) in Susan Jeffers’ best-selling self-help book. Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway.
The root of the problem
Psychological inflexibility has its root in rigid mind-sets which manifest as inflexible thoughts and reactions. These mind-sets typically make up a thought chain like this:
Experiences > Judgments > Upsetting Emotions > Internal Rules > Unhelpful reactions
To take a common example:
Wendy gets into an argument with her best friend, who tells her she is in the wrong. Her judgment is that her friend is showing her disrespect. She feels hurt and angry. But her internal rule, based on prior conditioning, is that she should keep her feelings to herself. Her reaction to the rule is to sulk and ignore her friend’s phone messages. It is likely that Wendy has experienced the same inflexible reaction many times before.
Note that judgments, rules and inflexible reactions go together – each is part of a chain in which one follows the other. Yet each item could be changed. Wendy might interpret her friend’s comments as an emotional reaction rather than an insult. She could change the rule so that she does have permission to discuss her hurt feelings. Or she could ignore both the judgment and the rule and respond to her friend’s messages. Bypassing judgements and rules, and changing behaviours are all routes to psychological flexibility.
Judgements are thoughts that dictate how we are to view a past, present or future experience. Framing them as scary, irritating, upsetting, draining, or unbearable etc. Or they can be self-judgments: I am weak, stupid, inadequate, hopeless, unwanted etc. Often our judgments about experiences go hand in hand with self-judgments; one complements the other. As when we hurt over the end of a relationship, judge that we will never find another partner and conclude we are worthless.
Rules are also thoughts, but often harder to see as they lie in the background. They tell us what has to happen next when something else happens. So if we are anxious we should hide; if depressed go to bed; if bored eat some junk food. In Wendy’s case the rule might be: if people upset you bottle up your feelings and withdraw from their company.
With repeated use these thought chains become programs that automatically activate the same inflexible responses over and again. Individuals might even come to believe they are part of their personality. “It’s just the way I am” they might say.
Learning psychological flexibility
The first step towards psychological flexibility is to mindfully observe our habitual (stuck) reactions so that we no longer identify with them. Viewing them instead as inflexible programs based on past conditioning.
The second step is to downgrade the importance of thoughts, including habitual judgments and rules. Employing thought defusion and seeing them as thoughts rather than oracles or guides to action.
The next step is to continue mindful observation of the situation and consider what is important to do. This step is closely linked to our values (see below).
The final step is to select a flexible course of action that improves our position in the moment.
Mindful observation is key to the whole process. See this article here for detailed information on using mindfulness in therapy.
Examples of psychological flexibility:
- Accepting and working with difficult emotions rather than numbing out on social media and other addictions (ignoring the rule that we should avoid painful emotions).
- Moving out of a comfort zone rather than avoiding challenges (ignoring the rule that we should avoid discomfort).
- Taking small steps towards productive activity rather than procrastinating (ignoring the rule that if we don’t feel like doing something it is not worth doing).
- Refraining from obsessions rather than giving in to them (ignoring the rule that we should always given in to obsessional thoughts in case something bad should happen).
- Practicing (calm) self-assertion rather than lashing out when upset (ignoring the rule that we should hit back when others annoy us).
- Expressing our needs and wishes instead of giving in to the demands of others (ignoring the rule that we should always go along with what others want).
Psychological flexibility and personal values
In the ACT model psychological flexibility emerges from our values: a personal aim that is important enough to over-rule the negative thoughts, rules and reactions we carry around. These values prompt us to engage in behaviours that make it more likely we will achieve happiness and fulfilment. If Wendy’s value is relationship (i.e. keeping her best friend) then that will motivate her to be more flexible in managing the dispute. Holding a difficult conversation rather than avoiding discomfort.
Here are some examples of value-driven flexibility:
- Career success (going to work even though we are anxious about recent setbacks)
- Family (interacting flexibly with the children despite our irritation over poor behaviour)
- Happiness (getting on the holiday flight rather than going home)
- Creativity (getting on with an art work despite discouraging thoughts)
- Mastery (improving our skills despite our fears about self-worth)
- Community (engaging with people rather than giving in to avoidant thoughts)
- Health (replacing unhealthy activities with healthier options rather than indulging)