Overcoming Negative Thinking: Tips for Improving Self-Talk

Living with mental health issues means living with a variety of unwanted and debilitating symptoms. One symptom that many people who are living with mental health issues experience is negative thinking. Negative thoughts can spiral into other negative symptoms that can negatively impact life, like reduced self-esteem and self-confidence. Fortunately, people who struggle with mental health issues, negative thinking, and reduced self-confidence can work on these issues by using self-talk. Self-talk is a skill that you can use to improve your thinking habits which can, in turn, help to improve self-awareness and self-esteem.

Some tips to help improve self-talk include:

Learning to Challenging Negative Thoughts

One self-talk tool that you can use to help overcome negative thinking is to challenge the negative thoughts you experience when you have them. When a negative thought comes up, you can challenge them by asking questions such as, “Is this thought based on fact or only my emotions?”, “Will asking someone else if this negative thought is true help and what would they say?”, and “How do I know this thought to be trustworthy?”. By challenging negative thinking, you can help to identify if they are worthy thoughts to be had or not.

Remember to Think Presently

It can be easy to get caught up in having negative thoughts about the past or even worrying about the future. People living with mental health issues like trauma or addiction may have questions as to whether or not their lives would be different had they acted differently, said different things, etc. However, obsessing over the past doesn’t change where you are today and typically doesn’t bring about any positive change in your life. So, if you find yourself feeling stuck in the past and constantly thinking about negative past experiences, remember that being in the present is the best place to be. Only in the present moment can you make a difference and only in the present can you work on yourself.

Identify When You’re Experiencing Negative Thoughts

It’s easier said than done but to be able to challenge and change your thinking, you must first be able to identify when your thoughts are negative. When you can pinpoint your negative thoughts, you can better work on leaving them behind and moving forward. So, if you find yourself in trains of thought that are leading to places that are not good for your mental state, remember what led you to this type of thinking. And, simply take note of these thoughts in order to begin acknowledging them for what they are.

Getting Help for Negative Thinking at a Delray Beach Mental Health Facility

Are you finding that negative thoughts are getting the best of you and making your mental health issues worse? If so, practicing self-talk may not be enough, at least not yet. Outpatient mental health treatment centers can help you overcome negative thinking by giving you the tools you need to address, assess, and change them.