Do you have a more zoomed-in or zoomed-out perspective to life?

 

What do you see in this photo?

The point is, when we are too zoomed in, it’s hard to see the bigger picture. 

In counseling/Acceptance Commitment Therapy, one of the most important thing is to educate our patients around the concept of fusion and defusion or in other words, zoomed-in (+hook onto thoughts) or zoomed-out (+unhook from thoughts) perspectives. 

It’s like when you zoom into a forest, you can see a dead tree, but when you zoom out, you may see a beautiful lushed tropical forest. Nothing has changed but your perspective has. 

Many folks we see have a very zoomed-in or “fused” perspective to life eg folks with depression, anxiety, or personality disorders. 

Some folks we see have a very zoomed-out or “detached” perspective to life and so zoomed-out, that it is out of focus. Think ASD or even Dissociative Disorders when in “extreme”. 

Of course, life is very dynamic and requires us to zoom in and zoom out all the time depending on context. The problem is when this zoom function malfunctions.  Imagine having a camera without the ability to zoom in and zoom out in order for us to focus.  It would be quite frustrating. 

Part of counseling is to help folks to zoom in and zoom out in various context through active listening, reflection, validation, and “gentle” challenge. 

Using metaphors like these can help us explain abstract concepts to our patients in more digestible ways.

The more zoomed-in folks may have to learn how to zoom out more through meditation, mindfulness etc, and the zoomed-out folks may have to zoom in more to gain more empathy, passion, and connection in life perhaps. 

Cause #2 for Depression and Anxiety: Personality

Your Personality

Understand one's own personality will help you to regulate it better.  Every personality will have its good and bad, strengths and weaknesses.  Once you understand yourself, you will be better equipped to nurture your strengths, accept and manage your weaknesses.

For example, if you are a bit of a worrier and a perfectionist, there is good and bad in that.  Most high achievers are actually anxious and perfectionistic individuals.  One can also view an anxiety trait as a very powerful tool.  However, one do need to foster its strengths and manage its weaknesses.

A perfectionist who is self critical and fear failure will naturally be very prone to stress.  A perfectionist who has a better understanding and acceptance of self, and who is self compassionate and embraces failures, will probably do very well!