Where do negative thoughts come from?

Negative thinking is fear-based, meaning it stems from our insecurities and those things in life which wounded us or made us hesitant. We are born as a blank slate and form our beliefs and opinions over time, based on the examples set by our caretakers and the experiences that comprise our lives.

All of these things come together to form the foundation of how we interact with the world, and it is through these experiences that we form our ideas of self and ability. Negative thinking can develop in a lot of secret and hidden parts of ourselves, but it’s our responsibility to dig deep and try to understand where it comes from. While our experiences can contribute to our negative patterns of thinking, the quality and state of brain can contribute as well, hindering our positivity with vengeful mental illnesses like depression and anxiety.

Use the questions below to challenge your negative thoughts and break your unhealthy pattern

Challenging Negative Thoughts

Depression, poor self-esteem, and anxiety are often the result of irrational negative thoughts. Someone who regularly receives positive feedback at work might feel that they are horrible at their job because of one criticism. Their irrational thought about job performance will dictate how they feel about themselves. Challenging irrational thoughts can help us change them.

Answer the following questions to assess your thought:

³ Is there substantial evidence for my thought?

³Is there evidence contrary to my thought?

³Am I attempting to interpret this situation without all the evidence?

³ What would a friend think about this situation?

³ If I look at the situation positively, how is it different?

³ Will this matter a year from now? How about five years from now?

Beck, J. S. (2011). Cognitive behaviour therapy: Basics and beyond (2nd ed.). New York, NY, US: Guilford Press.