ABSTRACT
Humans tend to have a wide repertoire of behaviours for avoiding uncomfortable internal events, which includes keeping busy, distraction, good old-fashioned behavioural avoidance, substance use, and self-harm, to name but a few. Experiential avoidance is not intrinsically dysfunctional, and it can work very well in terms of providing escape or relief from suffering, at least in the short-term. However, there are at least two issues with reliance on its use over the long run. First, the avoidant behaviours can add to the original problem, for example, drinking alcohol temporarily numbs the pain, although its long-term use is associated with numerous physical and psychological health problems. Second, avoidant behaviours tend to interfere with our ability to pursue meaningful or value-driven behaviours. Acceptance & Commitment Therapy practitioners are interested in targeting experiential avoidance in situations where these two issues are evident.
