I'm no good?
When will I have a panic attack?
I just can't do it.
I am useless.
Harsh statements, but sometimes these statements can take a nasty turn. Negative thoughts are not an uncommon problem. It can be so easy to just take, maybe, a negative comment from someone and make it worse. Negative thoughts could have started from the past, and have been hanging around for years. It could've come from a bully. But the hard bit is getting rid of the thoughts.
If I was to ask you to think about a pink elephant, for 5-10 minutes you would have an image in your head of a pink elephant. What if I now asked you to stop thinking about the pink elephant, you wouldn't be able to. It would just stay in your head. This is the same as negative thoughts, they just stay there. The elephant will eventually go, but negative thoughts just get worse.
I have worked with clients where the thoughts have been constant, a common negative thought is health, (health anxiety a separate blog). It's not just a case of telling the thoughts to go, that won't happen, and, unlike the elephant, it will stay there. The thought has come from somewhere, and generally, it is good to know where it has come from. It is also about knowing how to talk to the thought.
In counselling, I will guide you through the process. Don't get me wrong, it's not just a "quick chat" and I'm not the one that will change everything for you. It's all about you, I will give you the tools and support you need, and we can get you back on track.
Let me know what your most regular negative thought is.
