So how’s your week been? Notice any distortions in your thinking like we talked about last week in part 1 of our discussion on automatic negative thoughts?
Let’s pick up where we left off and review the rest of our list of ANTs.
5 other types of Automatic Negative Thoughts (ANTs)
ANT #6: MENTAL FILTERING
Mental filtering is the habit of ignoring the positive aspects of situations and only focusing on magnifying the negatives. It’s a skewed way of viewing the world, and it can cause intense feelings of hopelessness.
Example: She didn’t like my presentation—I should quit before she fires me.
ANT #7: DISCOUNTING THE POSITIVE
Similar to mental filtering, this is the habit of focusing on the negative and, rather than ignoring the positives, we write them off as “getting lucky” or a “fluke.”
Example: I should quit. She hated my report, and I don’t even know how I got this job in the first place.
ANT #8: “SHOULD” STATEMENTS
Ever heard not to “should” yourself? It’s when we repeatedly tell ourselves we should do this, or that, or the other thing, instead of meeting ourselves where we are. Expectations and self-imposed pressure can erode our self-esteem.
Example: I shouldn’t be scared of public speaking. I’m such a weakling!
ANT #9: EMOTIONAL REASONING
This is the habit of thinking that just because we feel a certain way, that it’s true and accurately reflects reality. While we shouldn’t deny our emotions, we must also look at evidence other than our subjective feelings.
Example: I feel inadequate, so I must be a worthless person.
ANT #10: LABELING
Labeling is a distortion where we minimize ourselves or someone else down to a single (typically negative) descriptor. It underestimates our complexities as humans.
Example: Oh, don’t bother with John; he’s nothing but a pothead.
So how do we deal with all of these distortions in thinking?
Can they even be changed?
The short answer is YES—over time, we can better understand and identify them, which can lead to powerful changes.
Like most problems, the first step is always naming it, which I hope our discussion has helped you do. And if you’d like an even deeper dive, I recommend Dr. David Burns’s Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy. This book is considered indispensable on this topic. Also, Dr. Daniel Amen’s Change Your Brain, Change Your Life.
Once you’ve identified a negative thought, it’s important to try and reframe it. Try to come up with 2-4 alternative versions of the problematic thought.
Reframing Example (personalization distortion):
ANT: Lee didn’t call me back. He’s mad and going to dump me.
Alternatives: Lee didn’t call me back. Maybe he got busy and will call later.
Lee didn’t call me back. He’s angry now but will call soon.
Allowing for the unknown, creating alternatives that aren’t so negative, and making room for the possibilities are all part of staying mentally flexible and resilient. We can learn to bend and sway and allow what is to just be.
If you’re having trouble with ANTs in your life, consider working with me or another professional who uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) or Cognitive Coaching. It’s a powerful form of personal self-improvement that lends guidance in identifying and changing unhealthy thinking patterns and getting the results you want by thinking, feeling and acting in the ways that serve you best! Goodbye to old stuck patterns and hello to an empowering mindset that gets you the life you deserve!
