ACCEPTS
What does the "A" in ACCEPTS stand for?
Activities
Believing you will fail an entire class because you got one bad test grade is an example of what cognitive distortion?
Catastrophizing
What is a boundary?
A rule or limit that helps protect your emotional, physical, or mental well-being.
A teen stays in bed all weekend because they feel depressed. On Monday they feel even worse and more isolated. Which part of the depression cycle does this demonstrate?
Avoidance/withdraw leading to increased depression
What is behavioral activation?
Taking action and engaging in activities even when motivation is low.
Maya is feeling overwhelmed by anxiety before a test. She volunteers to help a classmate study instead of focusing on her own worries. Which ACCEPTS skill is she using?
Contributing
Sarah gets an A on a paper but says, "It wasn't that good, anybody could have done that." What distortion is she using?
Minimizing the positive
A friend gets upset whenever you don't answer texts immediately. What is a healthy boundary you could set?
Communicating that you may not respond right away and will answer when available.
Why does avoiding or refusing to participate in enjoyable activities often make depression worse?
It reduces opportunities for positive experiences, accomplishment, and connection.
A teen wants to improve mood but feels overwhelmed from school, has little free time, and struggles with motivation. What is a realistic goal/behavioral activation task that may help this individual?
-Take a 10min walk 3 times this week
-Talk to 1 person in class each day this week
-Follow a 10min chair yoga routine 4 times this week
Emma is angry after receiving criticism. Instead of responding right away, she watches a funny movie and plans to think about the situation tomorrow. Which ACCEPTS skill is she using and why?
Thoughts or Activities. She is intentionally distracting herself to lower emotional intensity before addressing the problem.
Tyler thinks, "If I don't make varsity this year, I'm a complete failure." Name TWO distortions present.
All-or-nothing thinking and labeling (or catastrophizing)
Your friend tells you they are upset and asks for support. You listen for 20 minutes, but then need to finish your own schoolwork. What boundary statement could you use?
"I want to support you, but I need to finish my work. Can we talk later?"
A teen says, "I'm too depressed to hang out, so I'll stay home." Which intervention is most likely to interrupt the depression cycle?
Taking a small behavioral activation step and engaging in a meaningful activity despite low motivation.
A teen reports feeling depressed, isolated, behind on homework, and uninterested in hobbies. Name one behavioral activation activity that targets each area.