How to stop negative thinking

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You see the world through your mental attitude. If that attitude is mostly negative, it can affect everything, including health, career, family, and more. Furthermore, negative thinking can create a spiral effect that attracts more negative thoughts. However, we can slowly train ourselves to think by implementing simple techniques. Here are some ways to stop negative thinking.

1. What is considered negative thinking?

Negative thinking refers to negative thinking patterns about yourself and your surroundings. While everyone experiences negative thoughts now and again, negative thinking seriously affects the way you think about yourself and the world, even hindering your work/study and activities. Daily movements can be a symptom of mental illness , including depression , anxiety disorders , personality disorders and schizophrenia .
It's normal to feel sad or upset about an event, just as worrying about financial burdens or relationship troubles is something we all do. However, when those feelings are repeated and pervasive, problems arise.
Not everyone who thinks negatively has a mental illness, just as not everyone with a mental illness has persistent negative thoughts. However, negative thinking can harm your mental health and quality of life, especially when you just can't stop. Fortunately, there are ways to stop negative thoughts, but first you have to see what's causing them.

2. Causes of negative thoughts

Negative thinking has many different causes. Intrusive negative thoughts can be a symptom of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), or another mental health condition. Negative thinking is also a symptom of depression. While negative thinking can be a sign of mental health, it can also be a regular part of life. However, negative thoughts can seriously affect your life, so it's best to dig into them, whatever the cause.
Here are 3 main causes of negative thoughts:
Fear of the future: People are often afraid of the unknown and uncertain of what the future may bring. This often leads to "catastrophe", which means always predicting failure and disaster. Either way you look at it, worrying about the future is a waste of time and energy. The key to letting go of these negative thoughts is to accept a limit to what you can change in the future and to try to focus on the present. Worrying about the present: Worrying about the present is understandable. Many of us worry about what people think of us, whether we're doing a good job, and what the traffic will be like on the way home. Negative thinkers often come up with worst-case scenarios like: nobody in the office likes me, our boss is about to tell me that this month I will have my bonus deducted, and heavy traffic will bring me in. late to pick up the kids. These come from the fear of losing control. Reorganization and routines can help get rid of negative thoughts, but you may also need to try practical therapy techniques. Shame on the Past: Have you ever been sober to worry about something you did last week, or even last year? Everyone does and says things that make them successful, but negative thinkers tend to focus on past mistakes and failures more than others. Of course, a more constructive way to approach mistakes is to accept that the event happened and consider how you can prevent it from happening again in the future.

3. 6 ways to get rid of negative thoughts

Here are some helpful tips on overcoming lingering negativity.
3.1. Acknowledge negative thoughts but don't let them take over. Realizing you're thinking negative is the first step. Some negative signs include:
Thinking only bad things will happen to you Exaggerating the impact of an adverse event Getting angry at even small mistakes or things that are really out of control Your control Can't accept making mistakes, losing or being disappointed, sometimes to the point of making you not want to participate in something can lead to these results Negative assessment of an unknown situation clear. For example, when you greet someone in a noisy room and they don't respond, you automatically think they're ignoring you or don't like you, instead of thinking that they might not hear you.
3.2 Evaluate Your Thoughts Once you realize that you are thinking negatively, stop and address the problem. Try to understand why you think that way. Is the thought reasonable? Is it a real thought or an illusion you are creating in your head? Did this thinking help you?
Realize that you're just thinking bad thoughts like “I'm stupid” but really it's “I'm thinking I'm stupid.” Everyone has a negative thought, but it is important to recognize the negative thought so that you can then find out why you are experiencing it and can do something about it, learn how to overcome it. through it or learn to ignore it. Don't ignore your feelings, but sometimes you need to let go of your negative thoughts.
3.3 Know the difference between thoughts and feelings Sometimes negative thoughts come up because you are feeling sad, hurt, or frustrated about a situation, this is natural. Here you can realize that this thought comes from the emotion that you have. It's important to recognize your feelings and why you feel the way you do. Then you can acknowledge your feelings and learn to deal with them. But that thought is not your feeling; you need to separate them.
You may think “I am stupid and everyone else thinks so”, but that is a thought not an emotion. Emotions are feeling down, maybe because you didn't do as well as you knew you could have a project at work. Your thoughts are what your mind creates when it wants you to wallow in frustration. Instead, you should acknowledge the feeling of disappointment and know that you can get over it, but you don't have to beat yourself up with constant bad thoughts like, "that means I'm not good enough." ” or “everyone thinks I'm 'stupid'.
3.4 Rational Thinking We can get so carried away with negativity that it takes over, and these negative thoughts seem to make complete sense when we say them to ourselves in our heads. But when you really rationalize it, you may realize that maybe the situation or statement isn't really as bad as you think it is. Try writing a negative thought on paper and reread it for yourself. sound as if it were a friend telling you their own thoughts. For example, you might think, “I asked my neighbor to water the flowers while I was away and when I returned the plants were dead. They do it because they don't like me, and probably no one likes me at all. “If you knew that was what your friends were thinking, what would you tell them? You may not experience the same situation in the same way. Sure, you don't want to reveal his or her feelings, but you might think those thoughts aren't even accurate.

People with anxiety often come to negative conclusions in ambiguous situations, even when there is nothing to prove it. It could be because the neighbors forgot to water the plants or they didn't realize how often they needed to be watered. If they don't care about your plants, that doesn't mean they don't like you either.
3.5 When to Ignore Your Negative Thoughts Once you start analyzing your thoughts, find out where they are coming from, and know when they are most likely to appear, you can try Try to avoid negativity before it forms. You can see a cycle. You may have a “bad day”, feel unfulfilled, feel left out, go crazy about the outcome of an event or other emotions and it starts to come to mind. other negative thoughts. You will soon start to feel worse due to negative thoughts.
When you realize that you are letting negative thoughts in, remember that they are just thoughts. If you keep hearing these disapprovals in your head, it won't get you anywhere. Start blocking the negatives and do something to make them positive and encouraging. Turn “I'm stupid, I'll never be good at anything” into “I've completed some big projects in the past and this one has left me a bit frustrated, but I know I will be able to reach my goals.” up with a solution if i put my mind to it. "
3.6 Practice optimism and positivity Studies show that if you practice thinking positively about everything, even when it's forced, the next time you have the choice to think negative or be positive, it will most likely be the afterthought.You can be optimistic even in a bad situation or in a bad mood.Try it and it may help you realize what you are disappointed with may not be so bad.
Next time you hear yourself say, “Bad things always happen to me! This whole week has been so dark” when the furniture in the house breaks down or “I hate my job. me and I want to explode” when you have had an unproductive or even bad day, stop and think about why you have these thoughts and if you can, try instead. Look for the positive. Try to be resilient, so that even though you can admit when you are sad or some other negative feeling, you can still see optimism.

4. How to practice positive thinking every day

If you have a negative outlook, don't expect to become an optimist overnight. But with practice, you'll be less self-critical and more accepting of yourself. You can also become less critical of the world around you.
When your mental state is more positive, you can handle daily stress in a more constructive way.
Not only that, but it also helps you:
Increase life expectancy Lower rates of depression Lower suffering Better resistance to the common cold Better psychological and physical health Better heart health and reduce your risk of dying from cardiovascular disease Better coping skills during difficult and stressful times We will examine you and determine the best treatment for you. Vinmec International General Hospital is one of the hospitals that not only ensures professional quality with a team of leading doctors, modern equipment and technology, but also stands out for its examination and consulting services. and comprehensive, professional medical treatment; civilized, polite, safe and sterile medical examination and treatment space.

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Reference sources: healthline.com, healthyplace.com