Introduction
If you are depressed, your thoughts can get stuck in a loop of negativity. This can make it hard to maintain positive self-talk. However, there are ways to get your negative thoughts out of your head and gain perspective on them. In this blog post, we'll discuss how to beat those negative thoughts by gaining perspective on them:
Notice the negative thought.
As you notice the negative thought, do not dwell on it. Do not judge yourself for having the thought. Do not try to push it away. Do not try to change it into a positive one. And do not try to think of something else instead.
This is because noticing your thoughts has benefits that go beyond just being aware of what's going on in your brain—it can help you start changing them too! The first step towards change is awareness, and this is an important one because:
You become aware when they're there so that they don't control you as much
You become aware of which ones are helpful and which ones aren't; then if necessary, you can choose whether or not these helpful ones should be considered part of your "default thinking"
Identify the negative thought as just a thought.
One of the first things you need to do when you're dealing with depression is to realize that your negative thoughts are not always true. You don't have to believe everything that goes through your head, and it's important not to let those thoughts control your actions.
It can be helpful if you imagine a stream of water flowing past you at various speeds: fast and furious, or slow and calm. Imagine that the thoughts in your mind are like this water; some will be moving quickly, while others might move slowly. What's important is that none of these thoughts is staying still—they're always in motion and constantly changing direction, just like how rivers flow from place to place over time until they reach an endpoint (and sometimes even then continue for miles after).
This analogy helps us see how we can treat our thoughts differently than we would treat other people: if someone says something nasty about us or does something harmful toward us, we don't necessarily believe them right away; instead, we take time before responding with either anger or sadness because there may be other explanations behind their actions besides malice toward us specifically (e.g., maybe they were having an off day). There is often little correlation between what someone thinks about another person versus what they feel toward them (i.e., one person could think something positive while feeling negative). Thus by using this metaphor we can see how our own negative opinions about ourselves aren't always necessarily accurate reflections of reality!
Is it true?
When you're depressed, it's hard to see the forest through the trees. You can't focus on what is important—the truth—and get lost in all the other things that seem to matter less.
But these thoughts are not true: if something is not true, then there's no reason to think about it at all; but if something is true, then it should be considered carefully because of its importance and impact on your life.
The best way I've found for dealing with negative thoughts like this one was through a simple experiment: when I found myself thinking something negative or negative-ish (like "no one will ever love me") I made sure my response was based solely on facts rather than assumptions or emotions.'
Can you prove that it is true?
To start, you need to ask yourself if your negative thought is true. If it can be proven, then great! You’re on the right path. But if it can’t be proven, then this step will help you get there.
If you find that your thoughts are not true at all (such as “I am a failure” or “I am unlovable”), then prove them wrong by doing something productive with your time—like volunteering or learning something new—instead of spending time thinking about the negative thoughts over and over again. The next time those thoughts come up again, tell yourself that they are false and focus instead on what is true: that you are helpful to others and worthy of love despite past mistakes or failures!
What is the worst thing that could happen if you have this thought?
You could be wrong. You could be right, but it’s unlikely that you will know for sure until after the fact.
You can't control the outcome of your thoughts and feelings, so don't spend time focusing on outcomes or predictions about what might happen if that negative thought comes true. Instead, focus on how to respond in positive ways instead of focusing on what NOT to think about or talk about with others around you (e.g., “I should never have eaten those brownies…I know they were bad for me!”).
It's difficult—and sometimes impossible—to predict how events will unfold months from now based solely on current circumstances; this doesn't mean we shouldn't plan for contingencies though! If something bad does happen tomorrow (or next week), there are steps we can take today that will help prevent future problems: eat healthier foods instead of junk food; exercise regularly; get enough sleep every night so as not to wake up feeling tired throughout each day at work/school etc.; make sure alcohol isn't being consumed regularly by students around campus who may not realize how much fun drinking responsibly can be!
Gaining perspective on negative thoughts can help you overcome them.
You can overcome negative thoughts by gaining perspective on them.
Thinking about your thought process is a very important step in overcoming negativity. It's not just about managing the thoughts, but also understanding how they are formed. While it may be easy to get stuck in those negative loops and feel like they are inevitable, there are ways that you can break free from them and change the way your mind works.
Here's an example: if you're struggling with anxiety or depression, one of the first things that people often hear is "think positively!" This is good advice—but how do you do this? What exactly does it mean to "think positively?" Did someone say something mean to me? Do I have cancer? Why did my cat run away? These questions are all valid—but they aren't necessarily helpful when trying to deal with mental health issues like depression or anxiety (and we'll talk more about this later).
Conclusion
If you're experiencing depression, don't let the negative thoughts take over. Remember that it's possible to beat them! The key is to keep your mind occupied with positive things throughout the day so that they don't have time to get into your head and make things worse. It can be hard at first, but hopefully, these tips will help make things easier for you in the long run.
Comments