Counsellor Sarah Barr shares three tips to help manage intrusive and negative thoughts.

Negative thoughts can spontaneously pop into our heads, sometimes in an intrusive and critical way.

It can happen whilst you’re having a coffee with a friend. When suddenly a negative thought pops into your head leading you to think of them in not a nice way. Or it can happen when you are with your partner, you could have doubtful and negative thoughts about their intentions and your relationship.

These negative thoughts often feed of fear, evoking feelings of jealousy and insecurity.

Below are three tips that may help you to manage your intrusive and negative thoughts:

1. Knowing that your impulsive, critical and negative thoughts are normal

These thoughts aren’t considered “socially acceptable”, so we don’t want to admit them to others.
But, this is NORMAL.

We all have negative, critical, horrible thoughts that impulsively pop into our heads.

2. A thought is just a thought

A negative thought often comes from a place of fear or anxiety, with little or no evidence to back it up.

Yet we often give the negative stuff all our attention and dismiss the positive.

What would happen if we gave as much focus to our positive thoughts?

3. There is a solution

We are all human, imperfect and vulnerable.

Yet if you are willing to address any deeper or unresolved issues you may have with a mental health professional, you can achieve a more relaxed and quieter mind.

CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) is a technique used by some counsellors. This technique helps you to build a new thinking habit. Teaching you to catch, challenge and change your negative thoughts.

It is always advisable to talk to a mental health professional or your doctor if you are feeling low or anxious.

Take Care ~ Sarah.