Previously, we have already discussed what automatic thoughts are, what attitudes they can be based on, and what is the mechanism of their impact on a person’s emotions. Today we will think about how you can deal with these thoughts. The first and most important thing is to learn to monitor your automatic thoughts. At the same time, this is the most difficult moment, since these judgments slip through unnoticed, it’s a matter of a couple of moments. The best way is to start observing yourself when negative emotional reactions arise. Usually an irritated person does not care at all why he is irritated, because he is immersed in emotion, so it is important to make an effort and “include” the brain in this process. For example, irritation and anger in an eternal rush may not be caused by the situation itself, but by the thought “I am so worthless that I cannot organize my life differently.” It is unlikely that you will be able to remain calm and positive with this way of thinking. You can keep a diary of emotions and write down your states throughout the day. When everything is recorded, it is easier to do an analysis. A diary can be kept as follows: we write down a situation (for example, scrolling through social networks), an automatic thought (“I will never become that successful,” “I will never be able to blog because I am useless,” I have nothing to broadcast to people), the emotions that this thought causes (sadness, anger, despair, etc.), the behavior that follows the emotions (eating). This will allow you to track your main scenarios and behavior lines. Next, you should work specifically with each line. Question judgments, refute them, find several solutions, imagine worst-case scenarios, etc. If we consider the example above, the following options may be: “Why should I even start my own blog? Is this my true desire/need or a tribute to fashion?”, “Even if I never start blogging, won’t I find an alternative way to earn money and express myself?”, “Outside of social networks, I am a successful and fulfilled person” and much more. As you can see, a negative automatic thought can be developed and completely rejected, see other sides and the real picture of what is happening, track and neutralize your weak points. The main thing is not to give up this work, since working through it once is not enough. After all, it will be necessary to insert a newly formulated and already adequate thought into any similar situation instead of a negative one. If difficulties arise during the work, you can contact a specialist. In these cases, a cognitive behavioral approach is effective. Have you noticed your negative automatic thoughts? Have you tried working using this algorithm? Sign up for a consultation: WhatsApp, Telegram +7 913 380-83-42 Skype: as3808342 Learn to manage your emotions!💪