A conversation I’ve been having a lot lately centres around the question, ‘Why do we assume our thoughts are true?’
When we feel overwhelmed, distressed, or anxious, we often become more consumed by our thoughts, and we may start to believe that we are our thoughts. However, when we identify a thought, we are merely observing it. This distinction is crucial.
As humans, we are busy creatures. Scientists estimate that we have up to 70,000 thoughts per day. That’s a lot for us to process, which is why our brains have developed strategies to help us sort through these thoughts without us even being aware of them. These are known as automatic thoughts, a term coined by Aaron Beck. However, these automatic thoughts are often negative and can significantly impact our emotions, behaviours, and daily lives.
Why do we have negative automatic thoughts?
Put simply, our brains are designed to keep us safe and alive. Negative automatic thoughts are a product of the brain trying to protect us.
Our ancestors survived by staying alert to dangers and threats, like watching for animals trying to steal their food or bears entering their caves. They used these threats to learn, problem-solve, and stay safe in the future, as they could anticipate danger.
But are our ancestors’ dangers still relevant today?
Our brains have evolved to anticipate danger and keep us safe, allowing us to protect ourselves without always needing to consciously process information. As a result, we’ve learned to trust our thoughts. However, our brains aren’t always right, which means they sometimes anticipate threats that aren’t real. This can cause significant distress and affect our ability to function productively.
What can you do about your automatic thoughts?
The first step is to learn to acknowledge and become aware of your thoughts.
This could mean writing them down or saying them out loud to yourself.
The second step is to ask yourself the following questions:
- Is this thought true?
- Is there another way of looking at this or a different perspective?
- What advice would I give to someone else if they had this thought?
The third step is to remind yourself:
- You have the ability to decide whether you believe your thought to be true or not.
- You are responsible for how you respond to your thoughts.
So, why not give it a try? Practise these strategies and see how you go reflecting on your thoughts.