The psychology of negative thinking

When negative thinking becomes the norm, it can contribute to mental health problems including social anxiety, low self-esteem, and even depression. To avoid falling into that pattern, let’s explore the science of negative thinking and how you can develop a more mindful relationship to your thoughts.

The Science of Negative Thinking

Our thought processes are intimately connected to the way we feel

• When you’re feeling content, your thoughts tend to reflect this
• In times of happiness, you may be more satisfied with your career progress, perceive your personal relationships as more secure, or have a better body image
• Conversely, if you’re anxious or unhappy, negative thoughts start to emerge
• If you regularly experience negative thoughts, this cognitive distortion can sadly worsen an already poor mental health, leading to low mood, poor self-esteem, and anxiety
• To make things worse, a bias towards negative thinking will increase the likelihood that you’ll spend time ruminating on mistakes or dwelling on things that didn’t go as well as you had hoped

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The principles of managing negative thoughts

Recognize negative thinking when it arises

• Ask yourself if the thought is truthful or helpful
• If the negative thought provides no value, shift your focus by rewiring your thought patterns
• Manage negative thinking by changing the way you respond to and control how much impact they have

How to Transmitute Your Negative Thoughts

Create distance from your thoughts: Pay attention to your automatic thoughts and label them as subjective thoughts

• Start a thought diary: Journal down the date, the time, the event that triggered an emotion, and the resulting negative thought
• Use de-catastrophizing techniques: Negative thinking often leads to catastrophizing
• Ask yourself: What am I worried about? Is it likely that my worry will come true?
• What is the worst that could happen if my worry comes true?

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