6 Ways To Stop Negative Thoughts (Negative Thinking)

Hey, Psych2Goers! Have you ever spent nights being plagued by negative thoughts? Perhaps you get insecure about certain aspects of your life or feel like something is about to go wrong.

These constant negative thoughts can drive unnecessary fear and hinder you from being your best self. So, to help you conquer this, here are six ways to overcome negative thoughts: Number one: Recognize cognitive distortions. Do you have a tendency to think in extremes?

Perhaps your friends didn't reply to you immediately, and you assumed it meant they don't want to be friends with you anymore. Or maybe someone made a comment about you, and you took it to mean that they hate you. This is a type of cognitive distortion known as black and white thinking, and it can greatly harm your mental health.

Remember, your mind is so powerful that it can convince you of something that isn't necessarily accurate, which can reinforce negative thinking. This is why it's important to make an effort to be aware of such thoughts and distortions so you can start to challenge these thoughts. Number two: Building distress tolerance.

How do you respond to stress? Distress tolerance is a person's ability to manage their internal emotional state in response to self-inducing factors, which can include negative thoughts. This requires the ability to take a step back, pause for a few moments or a few days to recenter yourself, and then take action.

Keeping calm in the face of stress doesn't signify nonchalance towards the problem or that you're suppressing your feelings, but instead, it allows you to feel in control of your emotions and behavior instead of letting your emotions control you. Some ways to help you build distress tolerance are to be aware of what stress feels like in your body. This may be labored breathing, tension in your neck or back, sweating, or clenched fists.

These symptoms are normally felt before action takes place in between the stimulus (what is happening) and the response (how you act). You should take a moment to regain control of your body and thoughts, and later make a decision on how to move forward. After all, you have the power to decide if you want to act in accordance with your temporary emotions and feelings or if you want to act based on healthy logic, your values, and what's in your long-term best interest.

Number three: Changing the perception of the problem or reframing. Linda and Charlie Bloom, MSW, suggested that another great way to overcome negative thoughts is by reframing the problem from one that is negative to one more hopeful. One way of reframing is by redefining a problem as a challenge.

For example, instead of feeling defeated or powerless because you have to give up your dream school due to financial problems, you can try to apply for a scholarship, look for financial help from appropriate institutions, or perhaps work part-time while studying. Reframing problems gives you power because you are owning your problem instead of letting the problem own you. Are you suffering from stress or anxiety?

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It'll calm your mind to create feelings of comfort and safety wherever you go and play gentle sounds so that you can hit that deep sleep you so desperately need. The first 100 people to download Endel will get a free week of audio experience, so check out the description box for this exclusive offer. Number four: Self-soothing coping skills.

Another way you can overcome negative thoughts is by applying self-soothing coping skills. These skills are the first aid for stressful thoughts. Examples of skills are: A) Affirmations.

These are short and powerful words you can tell yourself to assist you in having positive thoughts. For instance, I may not be in control of this situation, but I have control over myself, and that is enough. B) Deep breathing.

Have you noticed that when you get upset, your breathing automatically becomes more rapid and shallow? Deep breathing can help counter this and make you feel more relaxed. C) Replace thoughts with cognitive abilities.

If you feel that your thoughts overwhelm you, try to put them aside for a little while and distract yourself with other cognitive-based abilities such as learning a new task, doing crossword puzzles, or Sudoku. Indeed, replace thoughts with grounding physical activities. According to psychosomatic literature by Wong, triggering thoughts that activate the fight-or-flight response can be reduced through positive physical touch and pressure.

Some examples you can try include counting your breaths, bringing attention to both of your feet and noticing how they feel on the ground, placing a hand on your heart, or touching something soft like your pet's fur or a fuzzy blanket. Number five: Release judgments. Do you have some brutal opinions about yourself?

Sometimes, no matter how successful or happy you seem externally, you may still hold on to destructive and judgmental thoughts about yourself. You might compare yourself to your ideal version of yourself or to other people and feel like you fall short. Because of this, it's important to learn to let go of such judgments.

Even if it's hard to do, it's definitely possible with some practice, and in time, you may find yourself more at peace with yourself. Number six: Express your thoughts and feelings in a journal or with people whom you trust. Can you talk about your feelings, or do you tend to bottle them up?

When you start to constantly ruminate over your negative thoughts, it can start to negatively impact your day-to-day life. For this reason, it's important to find healthy ways to express your thoughts and feelings. Perhaps you can find a close friend.

. . Or, loved one to talk about it, or you can write them down in a journal.

If you're not too fond of writing, you can also try out many different kinds of journaling, such as visual journals, where you create sketches and drawings, or you can record or dictate your thoughts to a phone recorder if you find this soothing. Check out Endal in the description box below. Have you tried any of the tips we've mentioned?

Let us know in the comments below if you found this video helpful. Be sure to like, subscribe, and share this video with those who might benefit from it, and don't forget to hit the notification bell icon to get notified whenever Psyched to Go posts a new video. The references and studies used in this video are added in the description below.

Thanks so much for watching, and we'll see you next time!