Having negative thoughts can haunt you daily and interfere with your productivity. If not controlled, negative thoughts can lead to various problems such as social anxiety, stress, low self-confidence and depression.

What causes negative thoughts?

Have you ever noticed that negative thoughts start popping into your mind one after another when you're in a bad mood? Then before long, what started as a normal day gets worse.

Thoughts, emotions and behaviors are related to each other. For example, when you are happy, you tend to think positively. Conversely, when you are experiencing fear or anxiety, negative thoughts will emerge. In dealing with change, the first step is to be aware of what is happening to you. Be aware of how your thoughts are affecting your emotions and behavior before doing various ways to get rid of negative thoughts.

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How to get rid of negative thoughts?

The negative thoughts that arise can haunt your mind throughout the day, making you restless and disrupting your focus and productivity. Some of the ways you can do to get rid of negative thoughts are:

Recognizing types of negative thoughts

To eliminate negative thoughts, you need to recognize the types of negative thoughts that can arise, for example:

• Always making assumptions about what others are thinking about
• Thinking about the worst outcome or assuming negatively about any situation
• Only focus on the negative side of things without considering the positive side.
• Frequent self-blame and perceiving oneself as the cause of negative situations

When you start thinking negative thoughts, it's time to start deciphering the cause of those thoughts. Try to challenge these thoughts whether the negative things you are thinking are true and make sense or not. Try to gather evidence supporting your thoughts, whether your negative thoughts have real evidence or just reflect your fears and worries.

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Stop blaming yourself up

Many negative thoughts come from self-blaming thoughts. To stop this, try to stop blaming yourself and build a positive relationship with yourself. If you feel you've made mistakes or have shortcomings, it's best to focus on improving yourself and learning from your mistakes. Instill positive affirmations that you can learn from your mistakes and become a better person despite your shortcomings.

Writing a journal

Journal writing helps to break down negative thoughts and process the emotions you are experiencing. By writing a journal, you can write down the anxiety, stress and worry you feel and make the negativity seem less threatening. In addition, you can more easily look at the situation objectively. Writing also helps create mindfulness and regulate your emotions, relieving anxiety and stress.

Meditate

Meditation can provide a sense of calm and peace. It also helps train your mind to focus on the current situation so you won't think about things that haven't happened yet. When your mind is clear, you can also find new perspectives on your problems and eliminate negative thoughts.

Therapy

If negative thoughts start to interfere with your daily activities, you should try to consult a mental health professional. A psychologist or psychiatrist can recommend the type of therapy that suits your needs.

Negative thoughts can indicate mental health issues such as depression or anxiety disorders. If you feel you need help overcoming negative thoughts, you should consult a doctor or psychologist. 

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