Have you ever been on a fun family picnic, only to have it ruined by a parade of pesky ants?\u00a0 Chances are those ants were heading for your hamburger or worse yet, up your pants leg.\u00a0 Although not a pleasant experience, it\u2019s easy to get up and leave them behind.<\/p>\n
When we get a heavy rain, I usually notice a random ant or two in our house.\u00a0 When I begin to see more parading in, my husband is called upon to get out the ant spray!\u00a0 That seems to do the trick.\u00a0 But, what do you do when a different kind of ANT, an A<\/u>utomatic N<\/u>egative T<\/u>hought, invades your mind and you can\u2019t get rid of it?\u00a0 Let\u2019s start by looking at these ANTs under a magnifying glass.<\/p>\n
Studies have shown that the average person produces more than 45,000 thoughts a day, most of which\u00a0we\u2019re not even aware of.\u00a0 Thoughts are simply mental activity, the \u201cwork\u201d of the brain so to speak.\u00a0 Your thoughts problem-solve and make decisions; evaluate and judge; allow you to visualize and be creative; enable you to dream and plan for the future and yet recall memories of the past.<\/p>\n
Negative thoughts, in particular, have a detrimental effect on our body, emotions, and behavior.\u00a0 Negative thoughts cause our bodies to produce \u201cstress signals\u201d which can lead to physical symptoms such as chronic pain, headaches, and digestive issues.<\/p>\n
As far as\u00a0emotions, how often have you experienced painful or hopeless thoughts that worsened your mood?\u00a0 Even the daily activities you choose are influenced by your thoughts.\u00a0 If you tell yourself enough times that you can\u2019t do something, you probably won\u2019t even if that something is as simple as getting out of bed in the morning and getting dressed.<\/p>\n
What are some things that are good for you to know about your personal ANTs?\u00a0 First of all, they swarm, particularly when you\u2019re depressed or have been triggered.\u00a0 These ANTs are pesky, flitting in and out of your mind. \u00a0We hear certain\u00a0negative messages so often that we\u00a0begin to tune them out and don\u2019t question if they\u2019re really true or not.\u00a0 In most cases an\u00a0ANT\u00a0is not true. \u00a0You can spot them easily if they include the words \u201cmust,\u201d \u201cshould,\u201d \u201calways,\u201d \u201cnever,\u201d or \u201chave to.\u201d<\/p>\n
Now let\u2019s get down to the nitty gritty: how do you exterminate your ANTs?\u00a0 The first, and often hardest, step is to identify them.\u00a0 Look for the key words listed above.\u00a0 Listen for negative thoughts when you are feeling down, asking yourself: \u201cWhich thoughts are most painful right now?\u201d\u00a0 Look for thoughts that reflect hopelessness, fear, self-condemnation, bitterness, jealousy and desperation. \u00a0I encourage you to\u00a0write down your automatic negative thoughts\u00a0in a notebook or journal.\u00a0 This will help you both evaluate and\u00a0replace them with more helpful thoughts.<\/p>\n
Secondly, examine each negative thought:\u00a0 Is this REALLY true? \u00a0Ask yourself: does this belief help me or hurt me? \u00a0Evaluate your ANT by\u00a0asking yourself if your belief or self-talk is truthful and realistic.<\/p>\n
When we\u00a0have a mental health diagnosis our\u00a0thoughts are influenced by both mental activity (the process of thinking) and by\u00a0the chemical imbalance\u00a0in the\u00a0brain. \u00a0Although you may work with a doctor and take medication to manage symptoms of your diagnosis, I highly encourage you to see a psychologist or licensed mental health practitioner (i.e., LMHP, therapist, counselor) to help you identify your negative self-talk and replace it with affirming, helpful thoughts.\u00a0 Exterminating your ANTs can go a long way in helping you achieve and maintain a full and rich life in spite of having a mental health challenge.<\/p>\n
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