Understanding the Negative Thought Cycle

Anxiety can be a difficult condition to deal with, especially when it takes control of our lives. We can feel like our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are out of our control. But understanding the negative thought cycle is an important step to taking back control of our anxiety. The negative thought cycle is a cycle of events, thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and outcomes that can lead to increased anxiety or depressive symptoms in individuals. It starts with an event that can be either internal or external, such as a challenging situation or a negative thought. The emotion then leads to a certain behavior, which can be either helpful or unhelpful. Unhelpful behaviors can be, for example, procrastination, avoidance, using alcohol, or self-harm. On the other hand, helpful behaviors can be things like problem-solving, self-care, and seeking professional help. Therefore, it is important to understand the negative thought cycle so that we can be in control of our anxiety, instead of the other way around. Here are some tips for gaining better control: 1. Recognize and challenge negative thoughts: Pay attention to the types of thoughts and ideas you have. If you recognize that a thought is negative, try to challenge it. Ask yourself questions like, “Is this thought really true?” or “What evidence is there for this thought?” Doing this can help you to gain perspective on the thought and gain control of it. 2. Reframe your thoughts: It can be helpful to replace negative thoughts with more balanced, realistic thoughts. Instead of thinking “I can never do this”, try to think “This might be difficult, but I can try my best”. This can help reduce the intensity of the emotion that accompanies the thought. 3. Practice relaxation techniques: When we are feeling anxious, it can be helpful to practice relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, imagery, and progressive muscle relaxation. 4. Seek professional help: If the negative thought cycle is causing significant difficulty in daily functioning, it is important to seek professional help. A mental health professional can help to identify the thought patterns and behaviors that are causing the distress and develop strategies to gain better control of your anxiety. John Cordray, board-certified counselor and host of the Mental Health Today Show. www.johncordray.com

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