Be kind to yourself. Don’t judge yourself too harshly if your mind wanders; simply acknowledge that it has, and gently bring it back on track.
Here is an example of how a positive outcome is linked to thought: You went to the gym and exercised. You thought that you accomplished your fitness goal for the day. You felt satisfied and happy. Now here is an example of a negative outcome: You went to the gym and exercised. You thought that you didn’t push yourself hard enough to meet your goal. You felt disappointed or not good enough.
Maladaptive automatic thoughts are distorted reflections on an event, but you may accept them as true. These maladaptive thoughts may then trigger feelings of sadness, anxiety, frustration, or hopelessness. Maladaptive: “I can’t believe I got such a bad grade on this exam! I’m a failure, and I’ll never amount to anything. " This thought can lead to a spiral of negativity and hopelessness. Positive: “This is just one exam. Everyone does badly on an exam sometimes. I can continue to work hard at this to bring my grades up. " You are more likely to be hopeful with this thought.
Your core beliefs are related to your self-esteem or self-confidence. You may believe that you are unlovable or not good enough which leads to a pattern of obsessive behavior or continued feelings of anxiety or depression.
For example, many people get their core beliefs from the people they’re raised by. If your parents mistreated you, you might have a core belief that you’re not worthy of love. Separating your parents’ behavior towards you from your actual worth will show you that your core belief—that you’re unworthy of love—isn’t true at all.
Catastrophizing by predicting only negative outcomes in the future Having all-or-nothing thinking Discounting the positive Labeling something or someone without knowing more about it or them Rationalizing based on emotions rather than facts Minimizing or magnifying the situation Having “tunnel vision” by seeing only the negatives Mind reading in which you believe you know what someone is thinking Overgeneralizing by making an overall negative conclusion beyond the current situation Personalizing the situation as something specifically wrong with you
Search for “CBT app” in your app store to see what options you have. Wysa is an example of a CBT app that uses a chat bot to help you identify thinking errors and calm yourself with relaxation exercises.
What actually happened? Include where, what, when, and how. What thought went through your mind? Create rating scale of how much you believed it was true such as from 1-10 or 1-100. What emotion did you feel? Rate the intensity using a scale. What has happened to make you believe this thought is true? What has happened to disprove this thought? What is another way to look at this situation? How would you rate your mood after reviewing all these questions? Use a scale.
Open your mind up to other possible outcomes or ways of thinking. Identify alternative ways of thinking about a situation that are possible or believable to you. Consider asking someone you trust to identify different ways of thinking about the situation. Does that other person understand the problem or situation in a different or more positive way? Listen closely to those alternatives.
Consider scheduling one pleasant activity a day. It can be a different one each day, the same, or combination of a few. Make these activities small, but something that you can look forward to doing. [7] X Research source If you used to play music in a band and want to be a musician again, think about activities to start with, such as playing music once a week at home. Set aside time when you can play with few distractions.
Look for alternative options or behaviors to accomplish a goal if there are barriers. For example, maybe a successful businesswoman becomes disabled after an accident, and can no longer work her previous job. She may decide that she wants to find a better line of work. She could teach business students at a local university, run business seminars, volunteer at a website like wikiHow, or be productive by offering advice and guidance to her family and friends.
Do you always feel bad at the beginning of the day and then by 12 noon you’re feeling good? Think about any triggers between those times. Or vice versa, do you feel good in the morning before work, but by 2pm each day you’re feeling miserable? Identify if there were specific things or events that occurred.
Come up with positive and self-affirming statements that you can remember. Use these positive statements to guide you when your anxiety or depression is triggered. Use positive affirmations about yourself, your life, and the world around you. Identify positive things, even if they are small, that can help to train your brain to think positively.
Avoid attempting to solve multiple problems at once. Start small and focus on the one problem that is your primary concern. Focus on taking an active rather than a passive role when solving problems. [11] X Research source
Think about solutions or advice you might give to someone else who is facing this same problem. Consider talking with a close friend or someone you trust for additional options.
This list will help you to see other options in a more balanced way. Make sure to look at both the positives and negatives, and not just one or the other. Consider whether you need advice from an expert or a professional for certain pros and cons, such as a financial advisor, lawyer, or healthcare professional.
Talk with someone you trust about whether these rankings seem realistic. Ask them if they have any concerns about the plan you think is best.
Create a timeline of small steps that you need to do. With organization and planning you are more likely to carry out and achieve your goals.
If the plan led to a positive outcome, enjoy that moment. Even if the problem is not fully “solved,” be thankful that you are headed in the right direction. If the plan still needs some tweaking and negative thoughts still arise, keep going and stay motivated. Most negative thoughts, feelings, and situations don’t go away overnight, but that doesn’t mean they are impossible to work on.
Go out for dinner. Have a spa night (even if it just involves a bubble bath and some nice music). Set aside a block of time for things you enjoy. Spend time with a loved one. Put your feet up and watch a movie.
Place one hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen. Exhale with your mouth, and take a slow deep breath in with your nose. Inhale as deeply as you can and hold for 7 seconds. Slowly exhale through your mouth for 8 seconds. As you release the air with relaxation, contract gently your abdomen to remove the remaining air from your lungs. Repeat this cycle for a total of 5 deep breaths. Try to have rate of one breath every 10 seconds. This helps both your heart rate and your mind.
Focus on deep breaths, and notice your breathing. Focus on tensing and releasing muscles in the body for five seconds each. Focus your mind on your body parts, starting with the feet. The progression is feet, legs, pelvis, stomach, back, arms, neck, and face.
Close your eyes, and imagine a peaceful or happy place Notice the colors, shapes, movement, light and textures of this place Listen to sounds around you that emerge Notice smells in this place Focus on any sensations of touch such as the floor or earth beneath you, the temperature, or anything you can touch.
Licensed professional counselors Licensed clinical social workers Licensed psychologists Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists Certified addiction counselors
Consider consulting with your primary care doctor for possible referrals for a trained mental health specialist. If you need a medication consultation, request a referral for a psychiatrist or mental health nurse practitioner.
Find out if there may be options to go to a counseling center through your school. Ask if there are counselors who specialize in CBT. Identify if your employer has an employee assistance program. Contact the number available. The information discussed through the employee assistance program is confidential. It may be free of charge for the first few counseling sessions.
Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (available 24/7): 988 or https://988lifeline. org/ SAMHSA Treatment Referral Helpline to find local treatment centers: 1‑877‑SAMHSA7 (1‑877‑726‑4727) or http://www. samhsa. gov/find-help/national-helpline
