I have had several people ask me about my Anxiety Management Course and especially the negative thinking section. These notes come straight, word for word, from the Occupational Therapist who led my Anxiety Management Course. I feel it is only fair to point out that, by her own admission, she does not suffer from anxiety herself. Still they make a lot of sense and if they can be a help just one other person it will make posting them worthwhile.
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DEALING WITH NEGATIVE THINKING
Challenging negative thoughts /positive thinking
Step 1 – Recognise and identify the negative thought (and write it down if necessary)
Step 2 – Decide how rational the thoughts are (See questions below)
Step 3 – Replace negative thought with a more positive realistic thought.
You may want to carry these positive statements around in a notebook with you.
Challenging negative thoughts - questions to ask yourself:
1. What evidence do I have for this thought? Is there any other way of looking at the situation? Is there another explanation?
2. How would someone else think about this situation?
3. Are my judgements based on how I felt rather than what I did?
4. Am I setting myself an unrealistic or unobtainable standard?
5. Am I forgetting about relevant facts or focusing on irrelevant facts?
6. Am I thinking in all-or-nothing terms?
7. Am I overestimating how responsible I am for the way things work out?
8. What if it happens? What would be so bad about that?
9. How will things be in x months/years time?
10. Am I overestimating how likely an event is?
11. Am I overestimating what I can do about the situation/problem and how much control I have over it?
Helpful thinking
It can be helpful to ask yourself what negative thoughts go thought your mind during the course of the day. This may happen before you leave the house, when you are outside or when you return. They may come into your mind when you wake up in the morning or when you are trying to sleep at night. (That’s me!!) They can happen any time and are likely to make you feel anxious or worried. A vicious cycle can begin. Negative thoughts affect your behaviour – they stop you doing things you enjoy, or stop you having a good time.
Write down the negative thoughts you experience during the week. Try to challenge these thoughts and replace them with more positive thoughts. Don’t worry if this seems a daunting prospect at first. Once you have started to use this technique, you will be able to pick up, challenge and reframe negative thought patterns. As with all skills which are worth learning practice does make the use of this easier.
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There - that's it. I hope it is of use to some of you.
Dusty xx
PMT - Proof that God must be a man.
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