Investigating Acceptance and Commitment Therapy within Addictions

Substance misuse is a significant clinical problem which affects large numbers of people worldwide. There is recognition that individuals who abuse substances are one of the more challenging clinical populations to engage in treatment. It has also previously been suggested that Treatment Acceptability is crucial for influencing the success of a specific treatment, as interventions viewed as more acceptable are more likely to be utilised and implemented. This book seeks to examine the literature on the concept of Distress Tolerance, Treatment Acceptability and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy within the world of addictions, and seeks to show how ACT may be a useful intervention for this population. Chapter one is a review of the literature on the concept of Distress Tolerance and smoking cessation. Chapter two is a qualitative investigation into the acceptability of ACT in the clinical area of substance misuse. Chapter three consists of a reflective paper which considers the lead researcher's relationship to ACT. This book is aimed at practitioners and researchers who are interested in these apparently interrelated concepts.