We all have our share of negative thoughts, some more than others. But the good news is, you can learn to reframe negative thoughts and steer your focus toward the positive. This shift isn’t just about feeling better—it can also help you manage stress and anxiety. Whether you’re working with a therapist or trying some techniques on your own, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) offers practical tools for changing negative thought patterns. This article is here to walk you through the process, showing you how to turn those anxious or depressive thoughts into positive ones with CBT techniques.
PROBLEMS THAT NEGATIVE THOUGHTS LEAD TO IN YOUR MENTAL HEALTH
Negative thoughts can lead to a negative life. One way to view depression/anxiety is it’s as if you put on a pair of negative glasses. Everything you see is negative. Everything you think is negative, yourself, others, the future, and the present, all seem negative. Some depression and anxiety can be treated with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Some depression may need antidepressants and some depression / anxiety may need a combination of medication and mental health counseling. In my practice I use a lot of different techniques and therapy but often Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a part of the treatment.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder is a form of negative thoughts about the future. The way this manifests is in worry. Always worrying something awful is going to happen. I call it the “what if’s” of anxiety. What if my husband never comes home? What if I loose my job? What if I get into a car accident? These are all negative thoughts that are based in the future! Things that may never happen so why waste the energy worrying about them in the present.? If they happen, we will have plenty of time to focus on that event.
TECHNIQUES AND TIPS TO REFRAME YOUR NEGATIVE THOUGHTS TO POSITIVE THOUGHTS
One technique I teach in therapy is a grounding technique to bring you back into the present when your anxiety causes you to worry about the future. You can try it too!
- Start worrying about something in the future.
- Look up and name three things you see.
- Name three things you hear.
- Name three things you smell.
- Name three things you feel.
By doing this you won’t be focused on what you were worrying about anymore and you will find yourself in the present moment! Focusing on your sense keeps you in the present, away from future worrying and negative thoughts. It works, I promise!
REFRAME YOUR NEGATIVE THOUGHTS
Sometimes we notice our thoughts are negative and not self-serving. Do you notice this in your thoughts? Here are some steps you can take to reframe your thoughts to be more positive.
- Notice when you are having a negative thought. Is it a discouraging thought?
- Think about that thought. Is it serving you or causing you problems? Is it a helpful thought? Notice if it is causing you anxiety anywhere in your body.
- If it is a discouraging, unhelpful, or negative thought think about a thought that is more helpful to replace it with.
- Repeat the more positive replacement thought with the negative one.
Example 1: I am going to fail my exam for sure.
I notice this is not a helpful thought and I feel that it is causing me anxiety in my chest.
I reframe/replace the thought with: I have studied and know all the material. I am going to do the best I can on the exam.
With the reframed thought I have a better chance of reducing my anxiety and doing better on the exam.
Example 2: I am going to look like an idiot when I am at this event. No one will like me.
I notice this thought is negative and discouraging. I feel the anxiety in my chest and stomach. I reframe this thought: I will take deep breaths before going into the event. I will talk to new people and ask about them. Not everyone will always like me and it’s OK.
With the reframed thought I am going to have less anxiety going into the event.
The above ideas are just two tips for working on negative thought patterns. Paying attention to your thoughts, observing which ones serve you and which ones don’t and then finding a way to reframe them is a big step towards a more positive life and better mental health.If you need more ideas or help with this feel free to reach out. https://melissamullercounseling.com
In Kindness,
MM