Last week, I tapped lanugo a mental health term I’ve learned increasingly well-nigh in recent years – automatic negative thoughts. We all process things in variegated ways, and negative thoughts are a byproduct of that processing. While I haven’t been worldly-wise to rid myself of negative thoughts, I have been worldly-wise to recognize them and try to deal with them in a increasingly uncontrived way than I used to. Here are some ways I try dealing with will-less negative thoughts, as well as some reminders well-nigh managing them.

Reminder: you are not alone

It’s easy to fall into thinking that we’re going through this alone, but the truth is that so many people deal with ANTs, and all of us wits negative thoughts. There’s strength in numbers, and naming the fact that you’re not vacated is often helpful in stressful times.

Everyone deals with negative thoughts

This is similar to the first point, but what I want to make well-spoken well-nigh this is how unmodified this is. Saying that everyone has negative thoughts isn’t saying something bad well-nigh flipside person; rather, it’s a reminder that we’re human.

Watch out for “should” thinking

There are many ways to refer to this type of thinking but basically, “should” thinking is when we say that we should have washed-up something instead of what ended up happening. While it might sound helpful at first, it can create a pattern of negative thinking and irrational thinking. It can moreover end up creating fear and doubt within a person – if you think well-nigh what you should or could have done, you think less well-nigh what you’re unquestionably doing.

Recognize your own patterns

Everyone’s thoughts are unique to them, and ANTs work the same way. Over time, a few reoccurring thoughts wilt a habit, which wilt a pattern. This leads to having the same ANTs over and over again, to the point where you’re doing it…automatically (see what I did there?). Recognizing your own pattern of negative thoughts is a healthy first step toward progress.

Consider alternatives to your original thought

This is something I’m still learning about, but it’s been very helpful in dealing with ANTs. When we have a negative thought, it feels very cut and dry. I didn’t do X considering I’m Y. But the reality of the situation is often very different, and finding a increasingly rational, grounding thought can often help us deal with thought patterns we’ve ripened while providing protection versus towers new patterns.