Breaking the cycle of negative thinking: 10 cognitive behavioural techniques for improved mental health

© cognitive behavioural techniques to replace unhelpful thoughts or negative thinking and foster positive emotions and behaviours for improved mental health.Life is simple; it is our thoughts that complicate it and they say, what we think, we become so, if we believe we are weak, we will embody weakness but if we see ourselves as strong, strength follows suit.

- 

Founders of various types of cognitive behaviour therapy, Dr Aoran T Beck and Albert Ellis emphasised that it is not the situations but our perception, beliefs and thoughts related to the situation that decides our emotions and behaviours.In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Shumita Kakkar, Founder and COO at United We Care, shared, “To enhance mental well-being, it’s crucial to break the cycle of negative thinking. Cognitive behavior therapy equips us with tools to identify and replace unhelpful thoughts, fostering positive emotions and behaviours.”

She suggested these steps you can follow.

The first step is to be aware of your trigger situations and unhealthy emotions and behaviour.

Second step is to identify the underlying thoughts like mind reading, catastrophic thinking, personalisation and dispute the thoughts by asking questions like Are my thoughts logical? Are my thoughts helpful? Are my thoughts true?

Third step is to replace them with more helpful, realistic and positive thoughts.

Fourth step is to evaluate your emotions and behaviour as a result of a change in thoughts.