Automatic Negative Thoughts

At the heart of learning how to deal with depression, is learning to recognize those thinking errors, distortions or automatic negative thoughts that ultimately lead to feeling and behaving depressed.  If you want to become your own technician/counselor and effectively cope with and overcome your depression, you need to become aware of the specific thoughts that are causing your depression.  Once you recognize your automatic negative thoughts leading to your depression, you do have the power to replace them with positive, productive thoughts that lead to happy, healthy emotional states of mind. 

One very common automatic negative thought that leads to depression is called Mind Reading.  Mind Reading involves assuming we know what others are thinking.  For example, if I pass my neighbor as we are both strolling through the neighborhood, say “Hello!’ and he does not respond; I may think to myself that I have done something wrong.  Or what have I done to my neighbor for him not to respond? Or what is wrong with me that my neighbor will not say “Hello!” to me?

Many depressed people Mind Read constantly; they attempt to know what others are thinking.  And they nearly always assume the worst or the most negative aspect regarding the situation.  So their negative thoughts about what others are thinking, leads to feelings of depression; which leads to depressed acts such as isolation.  And the depression cycle begins or continues.  How could the above scenario been looked at differently to avoid negative thoughts that ultimately lead to depression?

Scenario	Mind Reading	Healthy Replacements
I passed my neighbor walking through the neighborhood, said “Hi!” but he did not respond.	“I knew it; I knew there was something wrong with me!” “See, no one likes me!” “I must have done something wrong!”	“Maybe there’s something wrong with him and he just did not feel like socializing.” “There are many people who like me.  Plus, I’ve never done anything to him for him to dislike me.” “I can’t think of anything I’ve done to him.  And if I did, I know he would probably approach me” “The next time I see him, I will ask him how he’s doing.  Maybe he needs some support.” “Maybe he did not hear me.”

Now, it’s your turn.  Are you a Mind Reader?  Think about your current situation.  Use the Stop and Go method below to help you begin to think of situations when you Mind Read.  Learn to recognize those situations and think about them in a more positive or neutral situation.  See, no one of us can actually read minds.  And when we do, we are usually wrong and the thoughts we create are usually negative.  So, we walk around with these wrong, negative assumptions and dwell on them, and they lead to depression and other unwanted mental states.   

In order to learn how to deal with depression and ultimately overcome depression, you must learn to recognize when you’re being a Mind Reader, stop in that moment and compose positive, healthy thoughts.  Don’t accept your automatic negative thoughts to be true just because you had that thought.   Learn to question your thoughts.  Ask yourself what would an objective person think; what would a judge and jury think; what are the facts to my thoughts; are my thoughts valid; what can I do right now to validate my thoughts etc.?

Don’t Move!!	Stop Take a Breath. Feel your breath move in and out of your body. Remember to practice your mindful breathing exercises daily!
Wait! Not Yet.	Observe. What are you thinking? What is going on physically? What are you feeling? What are your Surroundings? Pull Back and Put in Perspective. Is it out of my control? Is this a fact or just my perception? What would others say or do? What are my thinking errors or distortions? Is this in my best interest? What is the overall picture?
You’re Ready!	Go With and Practice What Works! Journal, continue with your mindful breathing exercise, get out of bed, go to the store, make that phone call, talk to that person, use your daily thought changing tools etc. challenge your thoughts,