The Five Acceptances

[Daniel E.]

“The Five Acceptances.”
By Fred Penzel, Ph.D.

(excerpted from the article Acceptance and OCD)

1. Unconditional Self-Acceptance
   Seeing yourself as an acceptable, ordinary mistake-making human being who cannot be rated as a whole on the basis of a few selected characteristics or symptoms.
   
   
2. Unconditional Acceptance of Others
   Seeing them as ordinary imperfect beings also, and understanding that they don't have to do as you say, or support your efforts if they do not choose to.
   
   
3. Accepting Your Illness and its Nature
   Understanding that your symptoms are what they are; that they are chronic; that it isn't "unfair" that you have them; that as a result of them you may have poor judgment when it comes to risk and responsibility; and that they can be recovered from even if there is presently no cure.
   
   
4. Accepting the Nature of the Task of Therapy
   Knowing that you are responsible for your own recovery; that therapy is hard work, takes time, and may involve discomfort; and that obsessions must be confronted and compulsions resisted.
   
   
5. Accepting the Nature of the Task of Ongoing Recovery
   Learning that recovery is an active work-in-progress and something that must be practiced each day; that there may be lapses along the way; that you may have to take out time to grieve for what your illness has cost you; and that recovering means that you are now free to live in the same imperfect world facing the same problems as everyone else.

What I have outlined here may seem like a tall order, but it is achievable. Just talk with someone who has made a good recovery and you will see that they may have done most of these things without even being aware that they have names or descriptions. If you are working on the acceptance of change portion of your recovery, keep in mind the need to stubbornly refuse to quit. As the famous 18th century OCD and Tourette's sufferer Samuel Johnson said, "Great works are performed not by strength, but perseverance."

 

[David Baxter PhD]

Thanks @Daniel. Excellent post.