Removing Negative Self Talk
I would like to share a tool I came across this weekend, by Dr Daniel Amen. Only read this when you have the time to read and if you feel another self-help tool would be useful. He says that whenever we have a thought (negative or positive) our brain releases chemicals that make us feel bad or good. This made him wonder, so he thought about it, and then one day came home to a kitchen infested with ants.
He then thought, “That is like my brain. It is infested with negative thoughts!” In those moments, he came up with this idea. ANT (Automatic Negative Thought)
He says there are nine different kinds of ANTs.
- All or nothing thinking
- Always thinking
- Focusing on the negative
- Fortune telling
- Mind reading
- Thinking with your feelings – and feelings are complex and sometimes lie to you!!
- Guilt beatings
- Labelling
- Blaming
Personally, I sometimes do 5 and 9!
So, then he came up with four questions to remove the ANTs from our brain: `
- Is it true? (The stressful or negative thought.)
- Can I absolutely know it is true?
- How do I react when I believe that thought?
- Who would I be without that thought? Or, how would I feel if Ididn’t have that thought?
I have added a 5th question.
5. Now what?
How will you work to remove the ANT’s from your brain?
