Whether you suffer from an eating disorder, anxiety, depression, poor self esteem or all of the above, chances are it is the result of you having irrational negative thougts. In order to overcome these types of illnesses, we need to start challenging these negative thoughts in order for us to change them to more positive ones. I found the following tips from this website very helpful.
Whenever you become aware you’re feeling depressed, angry, anxious or upset, use this as your signal to stop and reflect on your thoughts. Use your feelings as your cue to reflect on your thinking.
A good way to test the accuracy of your thoughts might be to ask yourself some challenging question. These questions will help you to check out your self-talk to see whether your current view is reasonable.
Challenging questions
There are four main types of challenging questions to ask yourself:
1. Reality testing
What is my evidence for and against my thinking?
Am I jumping to negative conclusions?
How can I find out if my thoughts are actually true?
2. Look for alternative explanations
Are there any other ways that I could look at this situation?
What else could this mean?
If I were being positive, how would I perceive this situation?
3. Putting it in perspective
What is the best thing that could happen?
Is there anything good about this situation?
Will this matter in five years’ time?
4. Using goal-directed thinking
Is this way of thinking helping me to achieve my goals?
What can I do that will help me solve the problem?
Is there something I can learn from this situation, to help me do it better next time?
Recognising that your current way of thinking might be self-defeating (i.e. it doesn't make you feel good or help you to get what you want) can sometimes motivate you to look at things from a different perspective.
Changing the way you think about things may not be easy at first, but with time and practice, you will get better. Try it out - it's worth the effort. Let us know how you go.
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