Negative Thinking as a Habit
“I’ve had a lot of worries in my life, most of which never happened. ”
How negative thinking can take over your life and what to do about it.
Automatic negative thoughts: A form of cognitive distortion known as automatic negative thoughts (ANTs). Thoughts that pop into the mind out of habit rather than your actual feelings about a situation. It often takes the form of negative self-talk which can appear without even being aware of forming a thought. They're often irrational and negative for our mental well-being.
“ANTs are your first thought when you have a strong feeling or reaction to something, like a reflex rather than free thinking. They’re persistent and learned, often repeating themes such as danger or fear. It’s common in anxiety and depressive thinking.”
Sound Familiar? Why does it matter? Negative automatic thoughts can generate emotions such as anxiety, sadness, frustration, guilt, anger, or unworthiness.
One gradual habit that might help is making mental shifts. Shifting the way you think means you’re consciously stopping an established thought pattern. You re-evaluate how you reflect on a situation, or even what you think about, to focus on something else. It’s like switching gears in your brain so your train of thought isn’t just looping and relooping.
In a lot of ways, this is about undoing a lot of negative behaviors and mental programming you may have learned from others…
Making a mental shift is a way to combat your anxiety and stress, or snap out of winding thoughts.
-Healthline.com
