Although generating alternative thoughts can be helpful when challenging thinking traps, we can also use “standard” thoughts to handle many difficult emotions and situations. Repeating these thoughts to yourself like a 'mantra' can reduce the intensity of your mood, and help you choose a more helpful response or behaviour in tough times. Sometimes simply saying how you feel and why can make an emotion less intense. "I am furious that my friend did not turn up as he promised."

If you still think an upsetting thought is fair and accurate, consider ways to cope or other possible outcomes. Here are some useful questions to ask yourself: If it is true, what is the worst outcome? What is the best? What is the most realistic? If this does turn out to be true, what can I do to cope? How have I coped in the past? How would I advise a friend to cope? More helpful thoughts can help you to get through it Often, we choose unhelpful behaviour because we re

How we feel, the thoughts we have, and how we act are all connected. Distressing feelings, negative thoughts and unhelpful behaviours can go hand in hand. Negative automatic thoughts are those that just pop into your mind. They have little or no evidence to back them up. They can lead to distressing emotions. When your mood is low, you are more aware of these thoughts. This can cause you to spiral further downwards. This article focuses on helping you become aware of the nega

We often spend time fighting against our worries or telling ourselves to stop worrying. This is unhelpful. It can cause us to feel worse, and to worry even more! Worry is a part of our lives. It cannot be avoided. We can prevent ourselves from worrying too much by learning how to manage our worries. This article will introduce you to three techniques to help you to manage your worries. Worry Time - for practical and hypothetical worries Problem Solving - for practical worries

Worrying is thinking about problems that may happen in the future. It’s something everybody does. You can spot worrying by its “what if” pattern – “What if I get fired?”, “What if my HEALTH DETERIORATES?” and so on. Some worry is very helpful and causes you to act appropriately. For example, if worrying about a car accident causes you to be safe on the roads, then your worry is a good thing. Or if worrying about a presentation for work causes you to prepare carefully, then yo

This blog focuses on the principles of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). CBT offers skills and practical strategies that can help you think and feel better. The key idea of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) is that your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours are not separate. They are linked, and each influences the other. By changing how we act and think, we can have a positive effect on how we feel. How effective is CBT? CBT is one of the most widely used treatments for anxi

There are many forms of anxiety that are categorised into different types according to the basis of the fear associated with the feelings of anxiety. This blog explores the thinking patterns asociated with the different forms of anixety. What is Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD)? Generalised anxiety disorder is where you feel anxious most of the time. It can cause the following symptoms: Poor concentration Irritability Sleep disturbance Tiredness Physical tension Avoidance E