Acceptance and commitment therapy in a case of mixed depressive-anxiety disorder in a cancer patient

This paper introduces the case of a woman with breast cancer who had developed a mixed depressive-anxiety disorder with avoidance behaviors. The patient presented depressive symptoms like listlessness, insomnia, weeping, food disorders and hopelessness though. Also, she exhibited physiological arousal and restlessness feelings. Additionally, the patient had an avoidance patron behavior in relation with all stimulus she believed could hurt her. Based on the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) the intervention planted the following objectives: the patient will learn to accept her illness and the emotional distress that she was experiencing, also, the patient will recover the other areas of her life that she had abandoned. The treatment was developed in 14 sessions. The therapist used these techniques: creative hopelessness, disabling verbal functions, values clarification and loss of control over private events. In the results, it was observed a positive change in the behavior of the patient as well as a decrease in emotional distress that was his reason for initial consultation.