![]() Consider removing yourself from any negative influences or social circles. Ask yourself if the people and situations you are exposed to are playing a positive or negative role in your life and thoughts. ![]() The mood of others can amplify, or even create negative thought patterns, so try to surround yourself with positive people (even if it’s over zoom!), who aren’t also stuck in an anxious thought loop. Treat yourself in the same way you would a good friend and take the time to offer yourself the same positive reinforcement or encouragement you might offer someone else.įocus on positive people (and aim to be on e) Often the negative things we tell ourselves are self-critical and unrelenting, but we would be unlikely to talk to (or think of) a friend so harshly. Sometimes, a different perspective is all that’s needed. For example, lockdown might be hard, but you are contributing to keep yourself and other safe. Stop, think and question if your thoughts are actually ‘true’ and try to put a different spin on your life and problems. And while there is a lot about the current situation we can’t control, we can control how much we focus on the negative. Try to remember that much of what we worry about won’t happen. While there are important concerns in life that may need attention, a negative thought loop tends to distort the implications of our actions and decisions. Simply stopping and acknowledging these thoughts is the first step to addressing them. Small thoughts can become repetitive and overwhelming quite quickly. You could be constantly worrying about the future or thinking about things that have already happened. Negative self-talk is where a person blames themselves (or others) for what they believe is going wrong. How to break free of the negative thinking loop ![]() If you are worried that you, or a family member, may be stuck in a negative loop, there are a few ways you can break free of this thought pattern. It’s important that we work to challenge and control negative thinking, especially during times of crisis, to avoid these ongoing effects on our mental health and wellbeing. Ongoing negative thinking can also cause us to catastrophise – or jump only to thoughts of the very worst (and often the rarest) outcome. There are also times that dwelling excessively on an issue (also known as rumination) can become damaging to our health – increasing not only stress and anxiety, but also contributing to depression, post-traumatic stress, as well as to unhealthy patterns with food, alcohol or drugs. “It’s important that we work to challenge and control negative thinking, especially during times of crisis.”ĭespite these reactions being a valuable protection mechanism, there are times when these feelings can be out of proportion to the situation at hand, or to what we are able to control. Negative thoughts and constant feelings of anxiety are just one of many ways we react to feeling under threat. This is understandable as humans have evolved to be hard wired to react to things that are, or are perceived to be, a threat to us and our family. The COVID-19 crisis has been a source of stress and emotional health challenges for many people, which has resulted in an increase in issues like anxiety, depression and loneliness. Watch what you’re watching (and reading).Focus on positive people (and aim to be on e).
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