Negative Thinking .
Negative Thinking
You're someone who analyzes your thoughts, it can be challenging to differentiate negative thinking from the regular worries that everyone has. Feeling sad about an upsetting event is normal, just as worrying about financial burdens or relationship troubles is something we all do from time to time. It’s when those feelings are repetitive and pervasive, however, that problems arise ("Why Am I So Negative and Angry and Depressed?").
"Negative thinking refers to a pattern of thinking negatively about yourself and your surroundings. While everyone experiences negative thoughts now and again, negative thinking that seriously affects the way you think about yourself and the world and even interferes with work/study and everyday functioning could be a symptom of a mental illness, including depression, anxiety disorders, personality disorders and schizophrenia."
Anxiety about the present: Anxiety about the present is understandable. Many of us worry about what people think of us, whether we’re doing a good job at work and what the traffic will be like on the way home. Negative thinkers often come up with the worst-case scenario: that no one in the office likes us, our boss is about to tell us we’ve done terrible work, and the traffic will make us late to pick up the kids. Again, this derives from fear of losing control. Organization and routine can help with banishing negative thoughts, but you may also need to try practical therapy techniques.
With this in mind, here are five questions to ask yourself next time negative thoughts arise. You can do this exercise in your head or by writing down your answers in a journal.
Is the thought true? Is there a basis for this negative belief?
Is the thought giving you power, or is it taking your power away?
Can you put a positive spin on this thought or learn from it?
What would your life look like if you didn’t have these negative beliefs?
Is the thought glossing over an issue that needs addressing?
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