Tackling Negative Thinking

Because gifted students often feel things more intensely, they can experience sadness (and happiness!) on levels that are sometimes difficult for others to interpret. This week we touched on mental health as it relates to giftedness. We also touched on how mental health is just as important as physical health.

Most of us have a "monster hall of fame” - a list of words we hold on to or negative events that happened that repeat in our heads (and give us a sneaky excuse to hold ourselves back).

Human brain 101: Generally, in our day to day lives, everything we experience or see is subject to labeling, categorization, evaluation, and comparison. This is a process that unfolds automatically, and it is facilitated by our cognitive analysis functions. These processes happen without us being aware, which is very useful when it comes to problem solving. However, a problem arises when these mental processes that facilitate comparison and pass judgment are directed inwards. This typically yields negative judgements upon ourselves and causes us to become hypercritical of ourselves and others. - Derrick Howell 

 Ineffective ways to combat negative thinking: 

 1. Ignore the negative thoughts (“Don’t think about a pink elephant!” I bet you just thought about… a pink elephant) 

2. Using distractions and diversions (some people throw themselves into work or hobbies, but they can’t outrun their negative thoughts) 

3. Personal numbing (eating disorders, overindulging in sleep, addictions to technology, drugs, alcohol - these “escapes” create a negative feedback loop that compounds negative thinking) 

What do these ineffective methods have in common? They only delay you from coming up with permanent solutions. Try to make a friend with your mind instead. 

 Effective ways to combat negative thinking: 

1. Change your body language (research by Amy Cuddy) 

2. Get creative (express the thoughts - write, draw, paint, make music) 

3. Take a walk/change your setting 

4. Talk through the thoughts with someone you trust 

5. Regular exercise (proven to help anxiety) 

6. Meditation/mindfulness/deep breathing exercises 

7. Change your perspective (imagine your problem through the point of view of a favorite character, role model, or different time in history) 

8. Collect inspirational quotes from people you admire. Repeat: I am strong enough to face this day and conquer any challenges. 

9. Keep a gratitude journal (even a quick list of three things each day helps). Let’s try this right now! 

10. Seek humor.

 "Advanced ways" to combat negative thinking: 

 Cognitive defusion - learning to take your thoughts less literally.

 “Name it to tame it” part 1: Ask - Is this a “descriptive” thought (direct sensory experience - hear, touch, taste, etc.) or an “evaluative” thought (good/bad, right/wrong, opinionated). We spend a lot of time with evaluative thoughts! 

 “Name it to tame it” part 2: Is this a negative evaluative thought about the past or the future? If so, what can I focus on right now? 

“Name it to tame it” part 3 - Talk back to the thoughts: “There’s my fear of failing again.” “There’s my judgment at work again.” “Yes, yes, I know, very scary. Thank you bazaar thought for your perspective on the situation.” 

 Question the thought: Is this thought important or is it mental chatter? Is this thought helpful or useful to me in any way? Does this thought align with my values and aspirations in life? Is this thought grounded in reality? 

 Optional journal prompts this week: 

• Are any of the “ineffective ways to combat negative thinking” present in your life? What can you do about it? 
• Do you have any favorites from the list of “effective ways to combat negative thinking?” Which one of these do you do the most? Which ones could you do more? 
• How does it feel to talk back to your thoughts? Have you ever tried it? 

 GO DEEPER: 

 “The ABCs of feeling better” (see attachment) is an optional activity where students can create a list of go-to personal preferences to help lift themselves when they are feeling down. Also, here are some "canned phrases" if you encounter negative comments: