You may have some things you want to work on. If you do this every day, accurate and helpful thoughts will soon come naturally to you.īut there may be some truth in some of your negative thoughts. Then write down a helpful message to correct the unhelpful thought. If you think you might not remember at the end of your day, keep a notepad with you so you can write down any irrational thoughts as they happen. Write down any negative or unhelpful thoughts you had during the day.

Keeping a journal of your thoughts is one of the best ways to practice stopping, asking, and choosing your thoughts. The next step is to choose a more helpful thought to replace the unhelpful one. But if you don't get the raise, there may be reasons for it that have nothing to do with you. Example: 'If I don't get a big raise at my next review, then it means I have no future with this company.' Reality: There's nothing wrong with wanting a big raise. All-or-nothing thinking: This is also called black-or-white thinking.It doesn't mean that you won't be able to get another job. I'll never get another job.' Reality: Many people lose their jobs because of downsizing and other things beyond their control. Look for words such as 'never' and 'always.' Example: 'I got laid off. Overgeneralizing: This is taking one example and saying it's true for everything.But you're not being fair to yourself if you make your self-worth depend on meeting a deadline. If I don't, it means I'm a loser.' Reality: There's nothing wrong with having a time line in mind. Example: 'I should get married before I'm 30. If you hear yourself saying that you or other people 'should,' 'ought to,' or 'have to' do something, then you might be setting yourself up to feel bad.

Should: People sometimes have set ideas about how they 'should' act.So that means you're likable and can make more friends if you want them. People must not like me.' Reality: You have some friends. Example: 'I'm sad that I don't have many friends. You filter out the good and focus only on the bad. Focusing on the negative: This is sometimes called filtering.There are several kinds of irrational thoughts. Or it may be partly true but exaggerated. Does the evidence support your negative thought? Some of your self-talk may be true. The next step is to ask yourself whether your thoughts are helpful or unhelpful. Your self-talk may be rational and helpful. It's like a running commentary in your head. The first step is to notice and stop your negative thoughts or 'self-talk.' Self-talk is what you think and believe about yourself and your experiences. How can you use healthy thinking to cope with depression? Notice and stop your thoughts

Having dark thoughts for no reason