The basic idea of cognitive therapy is that your thinking determines your mood, and if you change your thinking, you will change your life.
The most common types of negative thinking are all-or-nothing thinking and disqualifying the positives. If you think that things have to be perfect and anything less than perfect is a failure, you're setting yourself up for trouble. If you focus on the few negatives in your life and disqualify the many positives, you're more prone to anxiety, depression, and addiction. Cognitive therapy helps you identify your negative thinking and replace it with healthier thinking.
The basic tool of cognitive therapy is the thought record. It is a journal in which you write down your negative thoughts and analyze them step-by-step. It gives you the chance to reflect on your thinking after the fact, when you’re not reacting out of fear or resentment, and a systematic approach to come up with healthier alternatives.
These are the 10 common types of negative thinking:
There are 10 steps to a thought record. The first six steps guide you through understanding your negative thinking, and where it came from. The next four steps help you come up with healthier thinking and incorporate it into your life. Write a thought record about unpleasant experiences that you would like to have handled differently. You can write about past or current experiences. Start with easy ones at first. Wait until you are more practiced before dealing with more uncomfortable experiences.
1. The situation. Briefly describe the situation that led to your unpleasant feelings. This will help you remember it later if you want to go back and study your notes.
I made a mistake at work.
2. Initial thought. What thought first popped into your head? This was probably a subconscious or automatic thought that you have had before.
I feel like a failure. If people knew the real me, they wouldn't like me.
3. Negative thinking. Identify the negative thinking behind your initial thought. Choose one or more from the list of common types of negative thinking.
This is self-labeling and disqualifying the positives.
4. Source of negative belief. Is there a deep belief or fear driving this thinking? Can you trace your thinking back to a situation or person? Search your heart.
I can hear the voice of my parent saying that I’m a failure and that I’ll never amount to anything.
5. Challenge your thinking. Look at the evidence both for and against it. Have you been in a similar situation before? What strengths do you bring to this situation? Make sure you see the whole picture.
I'm hard on myself. I've had some successes. I don't always succeed, but I do sometimes. People have complimented me on my work. It's when I try to be perfect that I feel overwhelmed and disappointed in myself.
6. Consider the consequences. What are both the short-term and long-term consequences if you continue to think like this? Look at the physical, psychological, professional, and emotional consequences.
I'm damaging my self-esteem. If I continue to think like this, my negativity will affect my relationships and possibly my health. I'll become exhausted.
7. Alternative thinking. Once you've considered the facts, write down a healthier way of thinking. The previous steps of the thought record helped you understand your thinking. Now that you have let down your defenses, you will be more open to alternative thinking.
I don't have to succeed at everything. I might not succeed at this, but that doesn't mean I fail at everything. I want to get rid of this negative thinking. I'm not gaining anything by being hard on myself.
8. Affirmation of healthier belief. Write down a statement that reflects your healthier beliefs. Find something that you can repeat to yourself.
I am successful in many ways.
9. Action plan. What action can you take to support your new thinking?
I'm going to celebrate my victories, and focus on the positives. The next time I make a mistake, I won't dwell on the negatives and waste my energy. Instead I'll focus on what I can learn from my mistake.
10. Improvement. Do you feel slightly better or more optimistic? This step reinforces the idea that if you change your thinking, you will change your mood. Gradually over time, your thinking and life will begin to change.
There are no restrictions on the printing of this document. It is provided as a public service by www.CognitiveTherapyGuide.org. For a more complete guide to cognitive therapy refer to the book "I Want to Change My Life" by Dr. Steven M. Melemis.
Ask your doctor or therapist if cognitive therapy is right for you. These techniques can complement the work you do with your doctor or therapist, but they should be used in combination with professional guidance.