Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - negative thoughts?

[Paco Dennis]

So, your cruising along, and suddenly you have an ANT. ( Automatic negative thought). Something triggered this thought that effects your feelings ( anger, guilt, hurt, etc.) then it often manifests in behavior. @bobcat is it possible that these thoughts are lying just below our conscious mind? They lye beneath the surface untill something triggers it. Then we don't recognize the thought but we do the bad feeling. Then we begin behaving in a way that feeds that feeling.

Practicing CBT you can begin to recognize the thought, a good analogy is those pesky pop up windows on our computer. We can begin to read and understand the thought this way. Then find real evidence that this pop up is really very truthful. I am finding most all my ANT's are not true, and I making it seem very real. Maybe I was hurt or felt sad or angry about something, when I think of it as an unwanted pop up and I become less interested in acting out bad stuff.

Then obviously we would want to change any behavior that enforces this ANT.

 

[bobcat]

So, your cruising along, and suddenly you have an ANT. ( Automatic negative thought). Something triggered this thought that effects your feelings ( anger, guilt, hurt, etc.) then it often manifests in behavior. @bobcat is it possible that these thoughts are lying just below our conscious mind? They lye beneath the surface untill something triggers it. Then we don't recognize the thought but we do the bad feeling. Then we begin behaving in a way that feeds that feeling.
or
Practicing CBT you can begin to recognize the thought, a good analogy is those pesky pop up windows on our computer. We can begin to read and understand the thought this way. Then find real evidence that this pop up is really very truthful. I am finding most all my ANT's are not true, and I making it seem very real. Maybe I was hurt or felt sad or angry about something, when I think of it as an unwanted pop up and I become less interested in acting out bad stuff.

Then obviously we would want to change any behavior that enforces this ANT.

I can only respond with the limited understanding I have. I think most of the feelings you mentioned, along with fear and desires reside in the subconscious. How they got there can be from past experiences, but some (Fear and desire ,etc...) can just be part of our evolutionary history.

I think you are absolutely right that something often triggers the thought, but not always. We can be feeling restless, uneasy, defensive, or even crave attention, and not really understand the reason why. To some degree, we can have a type of emotional blindness.

It's not a simple process to understand all that lies in the subconscious or why it's there. Introspection is a courageous journey of emotional nakedness. You have to embark on that journey in total honesty and be willing to face the inner you in a non-judgmental way. Sometimes when you get to the root of the deep-seated negative emotions, forgiveness is the antidote, but it only works if it's genuine and you can truly let go. It helps to understand that people aren't perfect. We are all flawed in some way. That's what has allowed AA to be so successful, and why so many go to confession.

Ignoring the pop-ups is one way to go, but if ANTs keep ruining your picnic, you may want to find out why they keep showing up. You're a smart guy with a lot of insight. I have faith in you.

 

[Babs2u]

I read somewhere that when a negative thought pops up we should simply say STOP IT!

 

[Marcy Sheiner]

I pretty much run on ANTs!

 

[MACKTEXAS]

We can be feeling restless, uneasy, defensive, or even crave attention, and not really understand the reason why.

I often don't understand the reason why I get those feelings. It's from pent up anxiety or frustration over something I can't pinpoint. Some people call it a bad mood, but it's more than that for me - it runs deeper.

I read somewhere that when a negative thought pops up we should simply say STOP IT!

Nice thought. I wish it was that simple for me.

 

[Aunt Bea]

I tend to overthink things and experience negative thoughts or disappointment, especially towards the most important people in my life, if I’m not careful.

Positive affirmations help and constantly expressing my true feelings and affection is also important for me as much as it is for them.

It never hurts to count our blessings and give thanks in all things.

Being happy/content is a choice and requires a bit of work, just like everything else in life.

“Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you'll start having positive results.”
- Willie Nelson

 

[gruntlabor]

I read somewhere that when a negative thought pops up we should simply say STOP IT!

Keep a rubber band on your wrist. When a wrong impulse or thought pops up, SNAP your wrist hard.
Ouch!

 

[bobcat]

I tend to overthink things and experience negative thoughts or disappointment, especially towards the most important people in my life, if I’m not careful.

Positive affirmations help and constantly expressing my true feelings and affection is also important for me as much as it is for them.

It never hurts to count our blessings and give thanks in all things.

Being happy/content is a choice and requires a bit of work, just like everything else in life.

“Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you'll start having positive results.”
- Willie Nelson

There is truth there. We often focus on what's missing in our life rather than thinking about all the blessings we have.

 

[Nathan]

When I get those negative thoughts/feelings of "nobody cares about me", "I'm just not good at....", "I can't...." I try to run a reality check on those notions...often I realize that they are only partially true, but if I accept it, the emotional effect seems to melt away.

 

[MACKTEXAS]

I posted in this thread earlier, but failed to mention that I get unduly / unnecessarily stressed when schedules or plans get unexpectedly changed, or there are unpleasant surprises. It throws my day off, and then I have trouble staying calm and focused.

This morning started off well, until 9 AM, when City workers came with big equipment to the house next door and started trimming trees that were brushing against power lines. They dropped a lot of big branches onto my yard. Then, just as that was happening, another truck appeared doing the same thing at another house. They are going all around the neighborhood.

When the crew finished, they picked up all the branches off my yard and raked it clean. I was relieved for that, but those are some things that upset me and once it happens, I don't move on as I should and get on with my plans for the day.