Cognitive Therapy
Your thinking determines your mood. Your mood is not determined by external factors, but how you interpret external factors. If, for instance, you think that things have to be perfect and anything less than perfect is a failure, you're setting yourself up for trouble. If you take an all-or-nothing stance or disqualify the positives in your life, you're more prone to anxiety, depression, and addiction.
If you change your thinking, you will change your life. This is not a naive prescription to just think happy thoughts. It's a reminder that you probably spend more time focused on the few negatives in your life than on the many positives.
Ask your doctor or therapist if cognitive therapy is right for you. These techniques can complement the work you do with your doctor or therapist, but they should be used in combination with professional guidance.
More information at Cognitive Therapy Guide.org
Printable Introduction to Cognitive Therapy
Printable Thought Record Template
Common Types of Negative Thinking
There are a few basic types of negative thinking that lead to anxiety, depression, and addiction. Identifying your negative thinking is the first step towards letting it go.
- All-or-Nothing Thinking. "I have to do things perfectly, because anything less than perfect is a failure."
- Disqualifying the Positives. "Life feels like one disappointment after another."
- Negative Self-Labeling. "I feel like a failure. I'm flawed. If people knew the real me, they wouldn't like me."
- Catastrophizing. "If something is going to happen, it'll probably be the worst case scenario." (Reference: www.AnxietyDepressionHealth.org.)
A Thought Record
The basic tool of cognitive t herapy is the thought record. It is a journal in which you write down y]our negative thoughts and analyze them step-by-step. It gives you the chance to reflect on your thinking after the fact, when you’re not reacting out of fear or resentment, and a systematic approach to come up with healthier alternatives.
There are 10 steps to a thought record. The first six steps guide you through understanding your negative thinking, and where it came from. The next four steps help you come up with healthier thinking and incorporate it into your life.
Write a thought record about unpleasant experiences that you would like to have handled differently. You can write about past or current experiences. Start with easy ones at first. Wait until you are more practiced before dealing with more uncomfortable experiences.
If you have any doubts about what to write about, discuss your plans with your doctor or therapist. Write a thought record every day for a month and see the effect it has on your thinking and mood.
1.The situation. Briefly describe the situation that led to your unpleasant feelings. This will help you remember it later if you want to go back and study your notes.
I made a mistake at work.
2. Initial thought. What thought first popped into your head? This was probably a subconscious or automatic thought that you have had before.
I feel like a failure. If people knew the real me, they wouldn't like me.
3. Negative thinking. Identify the negative thinking behind your initial thought. Choose one or more from the list of common types of negative thinking.
This is self-labeling and disqualifying the positives.
4. Source of negative belief. Is there a deep belief or fear driving this thinking? Can you trace your thinking back to a situation or person? Search your heart.
I can hear the voice of my parent saying that I’m a failure and that I’ll never amount to anything.
5. Challenge your thinking. Look at the evidence both for and against it. Have you been in a similar situation before? What strengths do you bring to this situation? Make sure you see the whole picture.
I'm hard on myself. I've had some successes. I don't always succeed, but I do sometimes. People have complimented me on my work. It's when I try to be perfect that I feel overwhelmed and disappointed in myself.
6. Consider the consequences. What are both the short-term and long-term consequences if you continue to think like this? Look at the physical, psychological, professional, and emotional consequences.
I'm damaging my self-esteem. If I continue to think like this, my negativity will affect my relationships and possibly my health. I'll become exhausted.
7. Alternative thinking. Once you've considered the facts, write down a healthier way of thinking. The previous steps of the thought record helped you understand your thinking. Now that you have let down your defenses, you will be more open to alternative thinking.
I don't have to succeed at everything. I might not succeed at this, but that doesn't mean I fail at everything. I want to get rid of this negative thinking. I'm not gaining anything by being hard on myself.
8. Positive belief and affirmation. Write down a statement that reflects your healthier beliefs. Find something that you can repeat to yourself.
I am successful in many ways.
"Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference." This affirmation that covers most situations is the Serenity Prayer from AA.
9. Action plan. What action can you take to support your new thinking?
I'm going to celebrate my victories, and focus on the positives. The next time I make a mistake, I won't dwell on the negatives and waste my energy. Instead I'll focus on what I can learn from my mistake.
10. Improvement. Do you feel slightly better or more optimistic? This step reinforces the idea that if you change your thinking, you will change your mood. Gradually over time, your thinking and life will begin to change.
If you write a thought record every day for a few weeks, it will be easier to analyze your thinking. You'll spot your negative thinking quickly and let it go. You'll be able to come up with better alternatives. You'll practice a new style of thinking, so that it will become part of your life. (Reference: www.AnxietyDepressionHealth.org.)
Printable Resources
For your convenience, I've included a printable introduction to cognitive therapy and a thought record template.
Printable Introduction to Cognitive Therapy
Printable Thought Record Template
Learn More
In the book "I Want to Change My Life" you'll learn:
- More about negative thinking and its consequences
- Examples of negative thinking, and how to recognize it
- How employee burnout is related to depression
- More examples of how to write thought records
- Tips and techniques to get the most out of thought records
- Questions to help you challenge your negative thinking and get ready for change
- Ways to identify your underlying negative beliefs
- How cognitive therapy helps with long term recovery and relapse prevention
- Specific examples of thought records for anxiety and depression
Last Modified: December 18, 2009