Negative thinking destroying my life

LegacyUser

Hi,

Just wondering if anybody has had experiences or suggestions or anything with negative thoughts. Its got to the stage now where my thinking has affected every aspect of my life. Its gotten really bad the last few months, and getting to the stage where it is triggering depression and anxiety.

strongbluebell

I'd suggest a chat with your GP. Possibly a referral for some Cognitive Behaviour therapy might be helpful.
This would focus on identifying and challenging your negative thinking and trying to substitute more positive thought patterns.
Good luck

LeotheLion

Get the song by' The Streets-stay positive 'on your Ipod and replay it over and over again
The lyrics are very helpfull

Agent J

Or the Sunscreen song by baz lurmann.

Honestly most of the time it comes back to just stopping for a second and taking a breath.

The earth is not about to be hit by a metoer any thing you do isnt likely to trigger it either. I find that if you logically and objectively really think about what you are being negative about youlll find it isnt actually that bad.
Over thinking and over analysis does usually tend to bring out the worst case senario though so try to give that a rest as well.
I know easier said then done.

Just take a breath, step back and try to see that objectivelly you are being overly pessimistic for no good reason.

And id second the other people about seeing a professional about it.

SmokeyJo84

strongbluebell wrote: »

I'd suggest a chat with your GP. Possibly a referral for some Cognitive Behaviour therapy might be helpful.
This would focus on identifying and challenging your negative thinking and trying to substitute more positive thought patterns.
Good luck

+1. CBT can really help you find out where these thought patterns are coming from, why you are being self-critical and can help you learn to challenge the negative thoughts...esp as you say its making you anxious and depressed.

I find that when i'm thinking really negatively, im making huge generalizations about the situation. If you try to challenge these thoughts (as in, what evidence supports the negative thought? is it really the way it seems etc) often you feel a bit better cos you realise that there is a lot of evidence that supports the contra argument.

It is really hard to make yourself believe that the negative thoughts arent true, but it's really worth the effort. People are their own worst critics after all.

Gig Bee

Or you cud just get off ur big negative lazy hairy hole and live! Get up go out exercise, eat healthy, be happy ,dont worry make passionate rigorous love to ur partner(if u have one) (if not get one). Your negativity is not going to change the world or make u better so just take a leap of faith and enjoy!!

LegacyUser

Gig Bee wrote: »

Or you cud just get off ur big negative lazy hairy hole and live! Get up go out exercise, eat healthy, be happy ,dont worry make passionate rigorous love to ur partner(if u have one) (if not get one). Your negativity is not going to change the world or make u better so just take a leap of faith and enjoy!!

Hippy dippy "you're getting better every day" sh1t doesnt really work for me. There's a great book called "Learned Optimism" by Dr Martin Seligman you can get it on Amazon. It explores negative thinking the detrimental thought processes behind it and how to change your patterns of thinking for the better. I would recommend it.

LegacyUser

This has been a huge issue for me all my life but........i've beaten it...

Try reading 'The Secret' or 'Stop Thinking Start Living' ... a great help to me...

Basically...live in the moment..if you get negative thoughts ..STOP..think of positive things in your life ..thoughts influence your moods so learn to recognise your mood ..if its bad, you are thinking negative thoughts, stop and think of positive ones...

Thinking negatively can do NOTHING to change a situation...positive thinking WILL bring positive things into your life..REALLY !!

Its all about mindset...just determine to be positive..try to see the positive in everyone and everything and it WILL return many times to you....go read 'The secret' tomorrow ...

Best of luck

LegacyUser

Unregistered wrote: »

This has been a huge issue for me all my life but........i've beaten it...

Try reading 'The Secret' or 'Stop Thinking Start Living' ... a great help to me...

Basically...live in the moment..if you get negative thoughts ..STOP..think of positive things in your life ..thoughts influence your moods so learn to recognise your mood ..if its bad, you are thinking negative thoughts, stop and think of positive ones...

Thinking negatively can do NOTHING to change a situation...positive thinking WILL bring positive things into your life..REALLY !!

Its all about mindset...just determine to be positive..try to see the positive in everyone and everything and it WILL return many times to you....go read 'The secret' tomorrow ...

Best of luck

+1

Hi OP, I have been where you are and i know how perpetual it can be,

I was going to sugest living in the now also, Dont know if you like books or webinars but the father of all this for me would be Eckhart Tolle, he had this major realization at 29 when he was depressed in his room that the negative thoughts where just thoughts and when he key-ed into the present moment he was a different person, you are not your mind/thoughts you are the being and the awareness behind your mind.

If you can get your head around it it will change your life, A new Earth and the Secret really helped me, Amazeballs!!

LegacyUser

Hi Op,

I am the complete opposite to you now but have been negative years ago when things were not going good for me. Anyway you can change with a little help from yourself. Try reading the "Power of positive thinking" by Norman Vincent Peale, it has lots of examples and will help you to change your attitude. More recent book is the Secret by Rhonda ?, Its also very good. I think you are just in the bad habit of glass half empty syndrome. Personally I try to find something positive in every situation. You have to practice it everyday and I promise you things will change for the better. Guaranteed. Good luck.

Babooshka

Unregistered wrote: »

Hi,

Just wondering if anybody has had experiences or suggestions or anything with negative thoughts. Its got to the stage now where my thinking has affected every aspect of my life. Its gotten really bad the last few months, and getting to the stage where it is triggering depression and anxiety.

Hi - Know what you mean by that for sure. Think a lot of people, especially recently are getting depressed, because of the collective negative thought patterns we're hearing and seeing every day, radio, Tv, etc. You only have to read a few threads to see that.
I'm not saying you wouldn't have a tendency toward negativity anyway as I know I do regardless, but the general mood of the country isn't helping lately too...no? So ease up on yourself a little bit, there's lots of it about.

I know everyone's going to say mostly the same things, exercise...CBT, counselling, blah blah....but you won't understand the physical feeling of benefit some of those things can give you by reading someone elses advice. I started running again after an 8 month break and after one week I feel really different about where I'm at mentally. I already feel stronger, and things just aren't "getting" me the way they do when I don't exercise. That's always been my thing though....one of the things I really enjoy.

If I was you, I'd really have a think about what your "thing" is...could be swimming, could be an art class, whatever....try to do it, stick to it, even when it's raining in November and you don't wanna go out. Sure the counselling, or therapy can add help as well but I think (I can only say from my own experience) once there's something that makes you feel good and that you're using your strengths or talents in, that you can focus on, it can heighten your self esteem which in turn reverses negative thought patterns.

It's sometimes down to chemical make up too, well I think it is with me because every single time I get back into a regular running pattern (and I'm not a long distance runner it's only 45 mins 4 times a week) my moods stabilise and I feel grand, and it's not because any facts in my life have changed for better or worse. So anyway... sorry for banging on, I hope this helps you. Don't give up and don't feel like it'll never get better, even get out for one walk if you can today while the sun's here for a bit (well it is here!) and try get some air and breathe deep, best of luck to you....

Porkpie

strongbluebell wrote: »

I'd suggest a chat with your GP. Possibly a referral for some Cognitive Behaviour therapy might be helpful.
This would focus on identifying and challenging your negative thinking and trying to substitute more positive thought patterns.
Good luck

+1

CBT is very helpful. If you can't manage to go to a specialist you could try reading Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Dummies. I found it very good. It's much more realistic and practical and will yield more results than most self help books out there.

Try reading the "Power of positive thinking" by Norman Vincent Peale, it has lots of examples and will help you to change your attitude.

Not a bad book but if you're Atheist/Agnostic you won't appreciate the religious aspect.