What is healthy thinking?
Healthy thinking can teach you to know what thoughts you have – both useful and not useful – affect problems or emotions that have problems with you. With practice, you can learn to use accurate thoughts that encourage you instead of negative thoughts that discourage you.
If you stop negative thoughts, you may be more able to take care of yourself and deal with life’s challenges. You will feel better. And you may be more able to avoid or cope with stress, anxiety, sleep problems, unwanted weight gain or depression.
Healthy thinking also involves calming the mind and body. You can use one or more techniques. These can include meditation, yoga, muscle relaxation, or guided imagery.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy, also called CBT, is a therapy that is often used to help people think in a healthy way. It focuses on thought (cognitive) and action (behavioral). Many people work with a therapist or counselor to learn CBT. But you can also practice healthy thinking on your own.
How does CBT help to think in a healthy way?
CBT involves techniques you can practice every day so that healthy thinking comes naturally. For example: maybe you are upset about a job interview at work. Your boss praised several things about your work. But you feel down because she had a little criticism. You may even think, “I’m not good at my job.” Or “She does not like me. I must be bad. ”
Focusing on only the bad is an example of negative or distorted thinking. You can teach yourself to look for negative thinking. You may ask yourself how true or useful your thoughts were. “What exactly did my boss say?” “Were there any positive comments?” “Why do I focus only on one critique?”
You can learn to see that the hard things you say to yourself can keep you from noticing the positive parts of your life and work. With time and practice, you can learn to make more accurate and useful statements. You might say, “I’ve done a lot of good work this year, and my boss noticed. She thought it was an area I could improve. So I want to think of some things I can do to get stronger in that area. «
CBT combines several ways to help you change the way you think:
- You learn to notice irrational thoughts about yourself.
- You learn to stop thinking.
- You learn to replace negative thoughts with accurate thoughts.
- You can learn to relax your mind and body. This can reduce your stress.
- You can learn to manage your time better. This can also reduce your stress.
Although you can use CBT alone, it is important to talk to your doctor or counselor if you have symptoms of depression or feel that your mood is getting worse.
How can you start doing CBT alone?
Learn to stop counteracting yourself with negative thoughts:
- Stop negative thoughts: get started
Learn how to use healthy thinking to prevent or treat any health problems:
- Weight management: stop negative thoughts
- Anxiety: Stop negative thoughts
- Depression: stop negative thoughts
Learn how to lower your stress:
Stress management: makes progressive muscle relaxation
Stress management: manage your time
Stress management: reduce stress by being confident
Stress management: breathing exercises for relaxation
Stress management: allows guided photos to relax
Stress management: do meditation
Stress management: practice yoga to relax
How can a counselor help with CBT? How do you find one?
If you work with a counselor or therapist, he or she can train you to do CBT methods on your own.
There is no special license to show that a counselor has trained in CBT. You need to ask about the counselor’s knowledge about CBT.
Try to find two or three counselors who are licensed by your state. Ask your doctor and family or close friends if they can recommend someone. Licensed counselors may have a doctorate in psychology or a master’s degree in social work or counseling.
You can call the counselors for a short phone call. Ask them if they have CBT training and if they use it often.
Choose the counselor you feel most comfortable with.
For more information, see:
- depression.
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder.
- Social anxiety disorder.
- Panic attacks and panic disorder.
- insomnia.
- Stress management.
- Manage job tension.
- Weight management.