Overview

Any one of us can experience negative or unwanted thoughts in our life-time, also known as, “intrusive thoughts”.

These negative thoughts can have a huge impact on our mood, contributing to self-criticism and feelings of hopelessness.

If you suffer from reactive mood (a trigger causes intense emotions quickly), challenging your negative thought patterns in a consistent and structured way can improve your mood and impulse tolerance over time.

Requirements

If you have a mental health condition or triggers can provoke a mental health crisis, speak to a health professional first before challenging negative thoughts independently.

Some people may require to practise these types of coping strategies in a safe, therapeutic environment, specially if they have Autism, Bipolar Disorder, OCD or have a Personality Disorder.

It takes several months with different levels of support networks in order to achieve results from this coping strategy as it is very difficult to perform independently.

However, the practise alone can have a significant positive impact over time as you become more self aware of your thoughts and how they interact with your mood.

The Link Between Thoughts, Feelings and Behaviours

Our thoughts, feelings and behaviours are all interconnected. A negative thought can lead to a negative emotion, which in turn influences how we act.

For example:

1. Thought: “I’m going to fail this presentation.”
2. Feeling: Provokes anxiety and fear.
3. Behaviour: Procrastinating on preparing / speaking with a shaky voice / avoiding eye contact.

This cycle reinforces the initial negative thought. By learning to recognise these patterns in thinking, you can begin to challenge the negative thought, reducing the likelihood strong feelings kick in that can then lead you into behaving in an unhelpful way.

How to Challenge Negative Thoughts

Challenging your thoughts isn’t about ignoring reality or forcing yourself to be happy.

It’s about questioning the reliability of your negative thoughts and finding a more balanced perspective.

Below are some strategies to help get started in challenging difficult thoughts.

1. Identify Your Thought Patterns

• Become aware of the thoughts that are bringing you down.
• Keep a journal to track your negative thoughts, what triggered them and how they made you feel.
• You might notice common themes, such as:
  1. All-or-Nothing Thinking: Seeing everything in black and white — “If this doesn’t go perfectly, I’ve failed completely”
  2. Jumping to Conclusions: Making negative assumptions without evidence — “My friend didn’t text back, so they must hate me”
  3. Catastrophising: Blowing a small problem out of proportion — “I made a small mistake at work; I’m going to get fired”

2. Question the Evidence

Once you’ve identified a negative thought, ask yourself the following questions:

• Is this thought 100% true? Can you think of any evidence that contradicts it?
• What’s a more balanced way of looking at this situation?
• Would I say this to a friend? Often, we are much kinder to others than we are to ourselves.

3. Reframe the Thought

Actively replace the negative thought with a more realistic and positive one.

• Original Thought: “I’m not good enough to get that promotion.”
• Challenged Thought: “I have a lot of valuable skills and experience. I may not get the promotion but I’ll learn from the experience and be better prepared for the next opportunity.”

This isn’t about being overly optimistic. It’s about being fair and compassionate to yourself.

4. Practice Gratitude

Focusing on the positive things in your life is a powerful way to counteract negativity.

Keep a gratitude journal and list a few things you are thankful for each day, no matter how small.

This can help retrain your brain to notice the good things happening around you.

The Benefits

Regularly challenging negative thought patterns can lead to significant improvements in your mood and overall mental health:

• Reduced Anxiety and Stress: By reframing thoughts, you can prevent yourself from spiralling downward.
• Increased Self-Esteem: Learning to be kinder to yourself helps build confidence and self-worth.
• Improved Resilience: When you can navigate challenging thoughts, you are better equipped to handle life’s inevitable setbacks.

Changing deeply ingrained thought patterns takes time and practice. Be patient and kind to yourself throughout the process.

Remember, you have the power to take control of your thoughts and in doing so, take better charge of your mood.