Reframing Negative Thoughts: All About Cognitive Reframing

Negative thoughts are a form of cognitive distortion, a type of thinking that causes individuals to perceive themselves negatively. These distorted thoughts fuel negative emotions, anxiety disorders, and detrimental thinking styles. Such irrational perspectives are often so innate to cognitive patterns they become automatic thoughts, adversely impacting a person’s well-being and emotional reasoning.

Psychiatrist Aaron Beck studied cognitive distortions, and many psychiatrists consider him the father of cognitive behavioral therapy. CBT is an intervention that aims to reduce symptoms of mental health issues, including cognitive distortions, by reframing thoughts.

There are many different types of negative thinking patterns. Consider the following examples:

1. 1. All-or-nothing thinking: This cognitive distortion happens when a person thinks in extremes and cannot see the gray area between good and bad outcomes.
2. 2. Catastrophizing: This negative thought pattern, also known as the binocular trick, emphasizes worst-case scenarios. Catastrophizing situations can lead to anxiety.
3. 3. Negative self-talk: Thinking poorly about oneself can significantly lower self-esteem and confidence.

Reframing negative thoughts is essential for a person’s mental health and physical well-being. Negative thought patterns can make a person feel undeserving of love, friendship, or affection. In many cases, such exaggerating and mislabeling can lead to depression and the perpetuation of psychopathological states.

Negative thought patterns can impact your body and trigger physical side effects, including tics, hair loss, and malnutrition. Overall, cognitive distortions hinder a person’s ability to be the best version of themselves, so it is essential to break such habits and seek professional help when necessary.

Many different factors can contribute to negative thoughts, including the following:

• Diminishing social circles: When people do not have others who care about them, ask them to get together, or check up on them, they might feel unworthy of friendship.
• Lack of confidence: Low self-worth can lead to negative thoughts, and vice versa—negative thoughts can decrease self-esteem. A lack of professional and personal support, dismissive colleagues or friends, and unrealistic expectations can all lead to a lack of confidence.
• Perceived failure: Failure is often a construct, meaning people exist on a success-failure binary; however, failure can be a learning opportunity and a lesson in growth.
• Unfullfilment: If people feel unfulfilled, they might tap into more negative modes of thinking. Feeling personally or professionally disappointed can make someone doubt their worth and give in to unhelpful thoughts.
• Unhealthy environments: Unstable relationships and toxic relationships at home or work can also contribute to negative thinking. If others are constantly putting you down, those words can become pervasive.

There are a few ways you can reframe negative thoughts. Try a combination of the below methods and document via journal or conversations with loved ones how they make you feel.

• Find strength in compassion. Reframing perspectives can be challenging, so go easy on yourself. Take the time you need, and celebrate little victories as you go. Above all, prioritize self-care, even if that means distancing yourself from people who do not show compassion.
• Keep a journal. Seeing negative thoughts on paper can help you ground yourself and see the irrationality of our thinking in black and white. Keeping track of negative thoughts in a journal can help you identify negative patterns.
• Recite positive affirmations. Talk aloud or write down what you value about yourself. These positive affirmations will operate as themes to return to as you grow and reframe negative thoughts, reminding you of all you have to offer.
• Seek therapy. Licensed professionals can help you reframe negative thoughts with different exercises for cognitive reframing.
• Try “yes, but” statements. Reframe thoughts with “yes, but” statements to identify positive things, even in negative situations. For example, “Yes, I lost the competition, but I am proud of my effort, made new connections, and pushed myself to try new things.”
• Understand the impetus behind your thoughts. Consider why you empower your negative thoughts. By understanding the thoughts, you can combat them, which might be the key to unlocking such ways of thinking.

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