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How I stop the negative thoughts?

22 Answers
Last Updated: 05/23/2022 at 3:38pm
1 Tip to Feel Better
United States
Moderated by

Andrea Tuck, LCPC

Licensed Professional Counselor

I tackle and discuss a multitude of social and emotional health issues. I have a belief that through empowerment and non-judgmental support clients' can thrive.

Top Rated Answers
DARKdreamer13274
February 26th, 2015 6:52pm
First off, negative thoughts cannot be stopped. It's sort of a human reflex. We tend to contemplate on the cons of every little thing and ignore the pros. What we can do is rationalize the thought. How much legitimate evidence do we have to think so? Even so, if it truly turns out to be negative, it will be an exaggeration of the reality, most of the time. So, we have to consider what is MOST LIKELY the truth instead of what is just POSSIBLY the truth.
insightfulTruth93
December 8th, 2015 8:38pm
one trick that helps me is creative visualization...for instance..visualize yourself in the grocery store. "Try to picture all of the items on one shelf in the store, and the order that you see them in,.. Don't do a lot of food shopping? Think about something else that requires concentration: the order of books on your bookshelf, or the order of songs in an album or playlist you like to listen to, for example. You don't have to do it for long—maybe 30 seconds or a minute, but the key is to be disciplined about it and do it each time that negative thought comes back—even if that means doing it 20 times an hour. It may seem temporary, but if you reinforce these patterns enough..., it can improve your mood and your decision making abilities,....You can actually train your brain to go in a different direction when these thoughts come up..
Anonymous
September 28th, 2020 5:24am
negative thoughts sometimes cannot be stopped you just need to distract yourself from it. in this world everything is balanced if there is positivity , the negative is present too. but what we need to do is focus on the positive rather than the negative. if we focus on the positive , negative will seem to fade away. now how to distract yourselg from it ? with my personal experience I suggest doing something you really like . you can try singing or doing art or dance or write a journal anything which makes you forget about the negative . another way acording to me is start writing poems . speaking from personal experience poetry is a very effective way to take out your negative thoughts and makes you really feel better. it kinds of detox you. hope this helps you. :)
Brida
February 26th, 2015 8:57am
Negative thoughts could be stopped by visualizing life in a positive way. Visualizing life with what we wish to have, feeling the happiness of enjoying what we want. "If you can dream it, you can do it".
Anonymous
July 13th, 2015 12:19am
The first step to stopping negative thoughts is to recognize them. When you find yourself thinking something negative, pause in that negative thought. Now, challenge it. Tell yourself the exact opposite of that negative thought. Tell yourself something positive in the face of that negative thought. Do it until it becomes a force of habit, you'll be amazed at what your mind can accomplish.
FlowerInDisguise19
April 11th, 2015 8:04am
Well, everytime you think negative you just have to right track your brain to the positive side again. Try to remember a happy memory from childhood or generally you can try listening to calming music to relax yourself and ease your mind.
4thepeople20
February 8th, 2016 6:31pm
Turn your thoughts towards something you enjoy. Make a conscious effort, whenever you start having negative thoughts, think about whatever you thoroughly enjoy.
naturalSunshine2980
May 23rd, 2022 3:38pm
It can be a challenge to stop the negative thoughts as they might have been there for years. It takes time to completely change your thought process. Focus on the glass half full not half empty. You will have to restructure your cognition. If you do not do well on a test, instead of saying oh I am a failure, you can say I did my best and will study harder for the next one! Everyone struggles and makes mistakes it is important to not dwell on them. A little positivity goes a long way. You are not alone.
Anonymous
July 29th, 2019 1:25am
Sometimes you need to sit down and work through your feelings, especially if these negative thoughts are recurring. I find it's best to talk it out with someone you trust or to write it down in a journal. Finding the source of bad thoughts can help resolve the negative feelings that are causing them. However, if they come at a time where you can't deal with them, there are different ways you can distract yourself and deal with it later. I know it's cliche, but deep breathing never hurts, and I find it helpful it helpful to use grounding techniques and focus on my physical surroundings.
BeeboIsQueen
March 12th, 2019 3:12am
Many people find themselves trying to block out the negative thoughts. While it is true that negative thoughts are not pleasant to think about, it can be even more unpleasant trying to block them out. Thinking of good things or practicing breathing exercises can be good things to help partially block out negative thoughts, but unfortunately, they will always be lurking around the next corner. Sometimes the mind needs to be set free and be allowed to wonder because bottling up negativity isn't good for anyone. Simply remind yourself that negative thoughts will come and that it is ok to feel emotions (whatever they may be).
courageousSun35
July 17th, 2018 4:25am
think about all the positive things going on in your life and think of your future goals and dreams!
BlueMorpho2026
March 5th, 2018 6:30pm
Start doing something you like and concentrate on the good feeling it brings :) Maybe concentrating on something else can help
optimisticEmbrace97
September 6th, 2016 12:18am
Whenever I have negative thoughts, I like to get my mind off it right away. I like to count things in my room, for example, I like to count all the purple things in the room I'm in. :)
Anonymous
March 1st, 2016 12:32am
Take care of yourself. It's okay to take breaks. It's okay to do what makes you happy. There is nothing wrong with trying to recover. Eventually, you'll find that you no longer have to try. Things will get better.
Popsicle1990
May 8th, 2015 3:14pm
Negative thoughts can sneak right up on you when you least expect it, I tackle them in a few ways. Firstly i try and channel them into something positive like exercise. secondly i try and talk them out with a friend or family member sometimes hearing them verbally you realise how small or crazy they can be. and finally i try and find a positive thought to match it.
CielIsMe
January 19th, 2016 1:18am
There are many ways to clear the negative thoughts from your mind. Deep breathing exercises or anxiety prevention techniques work very well. Also writing, singing, dancing, drawing, or any other artistic mediums can help you express your feelings and get them out of your mind.
Anonymous
April 19th, 2015 2:51pm
Find a piece of paper and a pen. Now, write down a list of all your accomplishments; these can range from educational such a university entrance/graduation, or even just making it out of the house on a bad day. Take this positivity and some self-compassion to turn your day around.
Starfromheaven
September 29th, 2015 6:05am
The best is thing negative about your negative thoughts as we all know two negatives become a positive just cool ourselves and think positive.
ginnym63
August 4th, 2015 1:23am
by replacing them with positive thought processes! Eventually, they will take over and the negative ones will vanish !
Brook
April 25th, 2015 8:20am
By thinking of new positive ones. A way that can also help is trying to do mindfulness exercises which are a great way to not only calm the mind but create general positivity.
Briana98
May 31st, 2015 9:00pm
Tell yourself the positive side of those negative thoughts! Like if you find yourself thinking "I look hideous today," stop and tell yourself you look absolutely amazing. Being silly about it makes it even better cause then you get a laugh out of it too. Just counteract your bad thoughts as best as you can and eventually you'll start to believe the positives more than the negatives.
Anonymous
May 15th, 2015 9:34pm
This may sound like a cliché answer, but when dealing with my social anxiety it really helped me to focus solely on school stuff. That way I wasn't isolating myself by sitting at home, but surrounding myself with people by being in the cafeteria or library. It also wasn't to overwhelming due to the fact that I wasn't actively socializing with anyone but really focussing on me and expanding my knowledge. I didn't felt lonely, and I still had a satisfaction of achieving something.