A look at your thoughts
First of all let's have a look at your thoughts. In the information section we were talking about negative automatic thoughts, these are thoughts that come to you straight away when you are in a difficult situation. There are several common thinking errors that you might experience. Read through the list below and check if you ever think like this.
Making a mountain out of a molehill
If something doesn't go exactly to plan do you feel like the whole thing is a disaster?
Jumping to conclusions
This happens if you make a decision before knowing all the facts. If you're finding something difficult, you might think "I can't do this".
Mind-reading
Do you ever assume you know what someone's thinking? "The boss doesn't like me he never gives me as much help and advice as the others".
Personalising
Do you blame yourself for things that are not all your fault? "He's really off with me today, I must have done something wrong."
Feeling you "should" or "must"
Do you tell yourself you should do more at work, you must give yourself a shake?
Focussing on the negative
"Nothing made me happy today at all." Maybe you aren't noticing the times you are happy as much as the times when you are not.
Predicting the future
Do you ever decide that things are going to be bad or you won't enjoy things before they even start?
Thinking errors
Before you start to look at your own thoughts to see what thinking errors you might have, look at the negative thoughts below and see if you can spot the thinking error in each thought.
- It's my fault that my friend and boyfriend had an argument the other night.
- I should be able to get better on my own without help.
- I will never get better.
- Its always going to be this way.
- If I go to the party I won't enjoy it.
- My boss thinks I'm a total loser.
- If I go on a bus I'll take a panic attack and show myself up.
- My heart is beating so fast I'm going to have a heart attack.
- I have terrible headaches it must be a tumour.
- Ok so I got the job, but the competition wasn't all that great.
- The whole weak was terrible, nothing went right.
- If people knew how terrible I am at my job, I'd get sacked.
- I can't stop worrying; I'm going to end up losing it completely.
- The date didn't go well, all men are just users.
