![]() ‘A psychologist can help you identify and become more aware of your negative thinking patterns. How can a psychologist or therapist help with negative thoughts? One study found that mindfulness can help regulate negative feelings and improve your emotional health. As well as helping you focus on the present moment, mindfulness is also an effective way to silence a constant stream of thoughts, concerns and judgments. Practising mindfulness meditation is a good way to become more conscious of your thoughts and feelings. ‘No medication or psychological treatment has the same protective health effects on your brain, mindset and thinking as physical activity,’ explains Eräkallio.Ī daily walk or run or taking up a new sport could help you change your outloo 5. Get movingĮxercise is a great way to reset your mindset. ‘The aim is to become more aware of these internal processes and prepare us for similar situations in the future.’ 4. ![]() Then reflect on how these thoughts made you behave in the situation,’ suggests Eräkallio. ‘Identify a specific situation and try writing down the thoughts you had at the time and how they made you feel. Negative thought patterns may feel so overwhelming and upsetting that they can influence how you act. Notice how your thoughts affect your behaviour ![]() ‘This exercise can help you stop the cycle of negative thoughts and let you practise seeing them as simply thoughts rather than something that defines you,’ says Eräkallio. For instance, instead of calling yourself unintelligent, learn to label the thought: ‘I’m having a thought that I’m unintelligent.’ One technique you can try is labelling your behaviour instead of labelling yourself. Rather than focusing on trying to stop your negative thoughts, try observing and objectively describing them instead. This is also referred to as ‘thought rebounding’. Research suggests that the more you try to suppress a thought, the more likely it is to resurface. How realistic do I think this thought is?Ĭhallenging thoughts can be difficult, but over time – and with practice – rational thoughts should come more naturally.What is the worst-case scenario? How would I handle this?.What evidence do I have for and against this thought?.But by starting to challenge your thoughts rather than immediately accepting them, you can start to explore alternatives that are more realistic and helpful,’ Eräkallio says. ‘We usually don’t objectively examine our own thoughts – as humans, we can find this difficult. ‘Writing down unhelpful thoughts can help you identify negative thinking styles, view them more clearly and gain a greater perspective on how your thoughts (rather than situations) cause your emotional reactions.’ 5 strategies for dealing and coping with negative thoughts 1. ‘Try to think about the specific situations where negative thoughts most often appear,’ Eräkallio suggests. Labelling – judging yourself or others based on one instance or experience Should statements– statements you make about what you ‘must’ do or ‘should’ do, even though they’re unlikely to happen Negative filtering – focusing only on the negative without seeing any of the positive or neutral aspects There are only extremes, nothing in the middleĮmotional reasoning – taking your emotions as fact Mind reading – assuming you know what someone else is thinking, without checking whether it’s trueīlack and white thinking – believing things can only go one of two ways, for instance, ‘good’ or ‘bad’. Overgeneralisation – drawing general conclusions by applying one experience you had to all your future experiences Some of the most common negative thought examples include:Ĭatastrophising – assuming the worst-case scenario will happen and underestimating your ability to handle it By recognising these negative thought patterns, you can pay attention to the impact they have on your emotions and behaviour and start to lessen their power. ‘The first step to identifying negative thoughts is to become more aware,’ Eräkallio says. How do I recognise when I’m having negative thoughts? ![]() This is called negativity bias and can also lead to unhelpful patterns of thinking. We tend to dwell more on negative events than positive ones. They can affect your mood, leaving you feeling sad or stressed, and can even contribute to symptoms of anxiety and depression. They may sometimes be irrational,’ explains Eräkallio. ‘Negative thoughts can be about yourself, the people around you and your surroundings. Therapy can be helpful for changing unhelpful thinking styles, but you can also learn strategies and techniques yourself to cope better. But in some cases, they can seriously affect the way you see yourself and influence how you behave. Having negative thoughts is more common than you’d think.
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