A couple of months ago I wrote a blog post on 10 cognitive distortions. These distortions are ways that our brains twist our thinking and cause a negative thought patterns. Unfortunately, I left you guys hanging on how to resolve some of these thought patterns you might have encountered! Here are the 9 ways to untwist your thinking and put yourself in a better mental state.
In no way is this medical advice! I am providing you with information that I have learned and tried to help with my negative thought patterns. For more information on this topic check out David D. Burns a professor of psychiatry who wrote a book called Feeling good on this topic. Let’s get into untwisting our thinking.
1. Identifying the DistortionÂ
The first way to untwist your thinking is to write down the negative thoughts you are having. When you write down your thoughts it allows you to analyze what is going on! In my previous blog, I list the 10 Cognitive Distortions, looking through that list to identify which one best relates to your situation. This will help you understand your thought pattern and ease or diffuse the negativity by understanding what your mind is doing.Â
2. Examine the EvidenceÂ
Continuing with the writing method! We want to help reverse the thought or find the truth. Instead of believing the negativity try and find positivity. If you believe you are not good at anything, for example, try writing down 5 things you are good at. This method helps you see the other side of the thought.Â
3. The Double Standard MethodÂ
This method is about your thought pattern. Instead of putting yourself down treat yourself with compassion and do something for yourself. Give yourself the same advice you would give to a friend experiencing the same situation! You would be a lot more gentle with a friend. So treat yourself the same way.
4. The Experimental TechniqueÂ
Test yourself and your negative thoughts! Try and prove that your thoughts are not real. Do an experiment to prove otherwise. For instance, If you believe that eating in front of other people makes them believe you are disgusting. You want to test this theory. Once you know what you are testing rate the strentgh of this belief. Ask around and see what other people think of your concept. Conduct the experiement with people close to you or take a friends and complete it in a public space. Reflect on the results and try changing or adjusting the belief.
5. Thinking in Shades of Grey
This method works particularly well for the all or nothing thinking thought pattern. To refresh you memory, the all or nothing thinking distortion is when you believe you are a success or failure and there is little to no in between. The shades of grey are all of the other facts, opinons and beliefs surrounding you that are overlooked during this pattern of thinking. While using this method you want to rate your thought on a scale from 0-100. This helps you avoid seeing yourself as a failure and helps see it as a partial success. The rating helps you see the in between and the severity of the event.
6. The Survey MethodÂ
This method can be helpful but also is not always the best. The survey method occurs when you reach out to friends, family or peers and ask if they have ever had these thoughts occur. For example, social anxiety can occur in new situations, and by relating to other’s experiences it can ease anxiety. It is not my favourite method, for instance some people are very confident and will not experience social anxiety. They may be very bold and say that it is not a big deal and be less sympathetic. Their answer should not reflect how you feel as they are experiencing it very differently. Try to find someone to relate to with similar values and beliefs to yours or someone who is empathetic about your social anxiety.
7. The Semantic MethodÂ
This method requires changing the language of your negative thoughts! When you say you shouldn’t have done something or should have done something it is important to change the language. It would be better if I did it this way instead of tearing yourself down. This relates to the growth mindset which I have written about on a instagram and the blog! Check it out @allureofmadison or How to Develop a Growth Mindset
8. Re- AttributionÂ
Re-attribution is rethinking your choice of negative thinking. If you say you are bad at something this technique makes you list all the contributing factors that could lead you to be not good at something. This lets you focus on the problem and not the outcome! This theory also comes in handy when you become a victim of self blaming. Identifying other root causes to the problem other then yourself can give you a better outlook on the event or situation.
I have added a worksheet to help your tackle some of the harder concepts. This worksheet will helps you break down your negative thoughts and help you readjust and see these thoughts in another way. Writing things down helps you decompress and most of the time gives you a different perspective on the situation at hand. I hope this helps and you try this next time you are in a negative thought pattern.
9. Cost-Benefit AnalysisÂ
Pull out that pen and paper again! This technique involves laying out the advantages and disadvantages of a feeling, behaviour, self-defeating beliefs, or negative thoughts! This can be beneficial to see the disadvantages of being negative. This can be a very important technique when a person is procrastinating a decision or is overwhelemed by a choice. Laying out your options and weighing out the pros and cons helps you better decide. This method allows people to view all potential outcomes. I have attached a worksheet for this method specifically. This has helped me a lot when I become overwhelemed making decisions. It weighs out all of the options good and bad. It provides a great visual and assists you better by laying out all the pros and cons. Also, it makes you consider all options. In this example, I use tolerating distress but you can substitute that for any situation.
These 9 ways to untwist your thinking can be super beneficial. I encourage you all to try these methods in different situations that arise in your life. If you are looking for more information you can refer to Cogntive Behavioural Therapy techniques and tips online or check out the book by David Burns. I hope you found this blog helpful. I wish you all good health and happy thoughts.
Lots of love,
Madison.
allure of madison 