Struggling to sleep can feel like having an itch you can’t scratch. The more you try to force sleep; checking the clock, shifting positions, or worrying about how little rest you’re getting, the more elusive it becomes. This metaphor helps clients suffering from insomnia to shift their perspective from control and struggle to acceptance and willingness, both of which are key components of ACT. By relating insomnia to something tangible and relatable, like an itch, it becomes easier to understand the counterintuitive nature of acceptance in promoting change.
More about the “Itch you don’t scratch” script
In acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), this metaphor can be used to reframe the struggle of sleeplessness. Imagine having an itch you decide not to scratch. At first, it feels unbearable, but over time, the itch fades on its own. Sleep works in much the same way. By letting go of the fight to control it and practising acceptance of restlessness and frustration, you can create space for sleep to naturally return.
This metaphor invites our clients to approach insomnia differently, not as a battle to win, but as an experience to accept and allow.
