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How do I prevent negative thinking?

264 Answers
Last Updated: 06/15/2022 at 1:06am
How do I prevent negative thinking?
1 Tip to Feel Better
United States
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Evelyn Coker, MSW, LCSW

Clinical Social Work/Therapist

I am down to earth and enjoy working with all clients. I have a special passion to support teen girls and women. My work is nonjudgmental and provides a safe space to grow.

Top Rated Answers
Anonymous
November 29th, 2019 2:08am
I prevent negative thinking by taking a deep breath and doing some high intensity activity for 2 minutes. If it's really bad I like to take a shower. Also, I like to place myself in other people's perspective. Why would this person do? I ask myself. Breathing deeply helps me calm down and refocus. Working out helps me clear my mind and exert some energy that otherwise would not be use the smartest way. When negatives thoughts come your way, you must re center yourself and replace it with a positive thought. Thoughts come and go, it is up to us to allow them make us or ruin us.
Anonymous
November 14th, 2019 12:44am
Try hanging out with people, try not to be alone with yourself. Try talking to anyone, even an adult, or maybe right down to your pet if there isn't anyone, then get a helpful therapist. Negative thoughts never escape, especially when your moody feelings penetrates the mind into thinking your a failure, your not good enough, you need to end it all, the pain and suffering is terrible...You know there is a reason for your life, not to be worrying about some stupid thoughts. There are things to look up to like schools, colleges, jobs, love, money, and mostly yourself...Once you get out of the "lifesucksphase" and your mind is fully developed, you will figure out your story to your life is just the beginning.
Leafless393
October 27th, 2019 8:50am
In my experience negative thinking is the result of inner reflection that is blind to one’s personal self worth. Training yourself to see at least one positive thing in every situation changes what you’re looking for, and with that small change you will begin to find more and more positive aspects of yourself. The positive aspects are little precious gems. For me these gems became more valuable to me because, sometimes they are very hard to find unless I ignored the negative which was only there because my mind put it there to begin with and was never real. I don’t believe positive thinking comes naturally or easily for some but is a learned skill we are all capable of mastery
EdSAB
October 23rd, 2019 4:03pm
If you want to prevent negative, you have to first be mindful of your thoughts, whether they are positive or negative thoughts. Preventing negative thinking requires learning a new habit of positive thinking. Every time you notice that you are thinking negatively about something, shake the thought and think something positive about it. Be optimistic and look at the bright side of things no matter how bad the situation seems. But it starts with being mindful of your thoughts which allows you to notice what you are actually thinking about and adjust the way you are thinking about it. No matter how bad things seem, there is always something positive to look at it.
peacefulLight8704
October 13th, 2019 4:16pm
It's hard to completely stop all negative thinking, and it takes a ton of practice to improve on this! I would try to just start challenging your thoughts, and replacing them with positive ones. For example, if someone makes vague comment that you believe confirms the worst about yourself, challenge that. Are you sure it isn't the preconceptions that you already have about yourself that are causing you to falsely interpret this message? Sometimes, we have filters in our brains that everything goes through. So if you think you don't look good, you will find things to confirm that, whether its true or not.
GlowingAngelfish111
September 26th, 2019 9:36am
There are many techniques. But here is one that I like particularly. It’s based on the principle of meditation on which to empty our mind we don’t fight the thoughts we let them come and go. Having negative thoughts is natural, but rumination is the problem, it causes the damages. Be kind to yourself, and let the negative thoughts come and go. The more classic one is try to shake it off. Replace them by good thoughts, by absorbing good vibes around you. Music on, meeting with others, simply watching something that makes you laugh, doing something that you enjoy, etc... keep your mind busy with positive thoughts
Anonymous
September 19th, 2019 7:13am
Try meditating🤗and do things that make you happy so that they can distract you.And remember to say positive affirmations.And spend time with family and friends.Do the things that make you happy all the time.Celebrate your achievements no matter how small they are.Do not put too much pressure on yourself because that’s the first step to living a healthier life.Self care is the basic of positive thoughts.So if you love and appreciate yourself you are more likely to think about the wonderful things and you can look at life in a different way.So anytime you have negative thoughts just treat yourself a little.
Paris03
July 26th, 2019 3:16pm
Surround yourself with positive energy. The people who you communicate with daily have an impact on you, also the words you speak and the music you listen to. Listen to something motivational, or a word of prayer (if you're religious) and surround yourself with people who are vibrant and who look out for each other. Here's something basic I recommend: Every morning you wake up, go in the mirror and say something positive about yourself (even if it's the same thing every morning. Speak it into existence! I also recommend trying to find something you like and channel all your negative energy towards it.
Anonymous
July 7th, 2019 8:26pm
I don't think negative thinking is always preventable, but we can learn how to be more in-control of it. We may have a "negative" feeling, which comes automatically. Sometimes, this leads to a negative thought. We can keep ourselves from focusing on the negative thought if we look back to the emotion. What is the emotion trying to tell us? Even "negative" emotions still have a job to do. Anger might tell us that someone has crossed a boundary. Sadness might tell us someone hurt us. Sometimes if we can figure out what the emotion is trying to tell us, we can try to change that situation that is bothering us, or if it is not something we have control of we can attempt to accept it. Sometimes we can't always figure out a reason for our emotions, and that's ok too. Sometimes all the emotion needs is a little attention and observance, and then it will calm and fizzle out on its own. We just have the watch the negative thinking when we find ourselves "stuck" on an idea or thought loop over and over. If we keep revisiting the idea too much, it probably means some sort of action is needed.
genuineNight42
June 27th, 2019 8:49pm
By stop validating yourself by what other people may or may not think around you! Negative thinking usually incurs due to how people behave, interactions with them, and opinions of other people. The minute we start validating ourselves by our own sets of principles, the whole outcome of life will change. Negative thinking doesn't develop itself, however it does evolve. But did you ever stop and think, its not the things in your room that gives you a reason for being a pessimist. It's the network of people around you. Is it really important to care what anyone will think of you, if you think it is. Wait and analyze a situation, where you disappear. How much would that person care then?
Anonymous
June 26th, 2019 5:17am
Negative thinking Is something that most of us do without acknowledge but that's not a good thing ,because our thoughts has a great effect on our lives.positivity is a really good thing.The universal law of attraction which has been scientifically proved says that if somebody keeps thinking about something constantly the universe will provide them support according to what they think. But if we keeps thinking about negative things constantly the universe in return would provide us negative results. That's why positive thinking is such an important thing. Try to concentrate on your daily activities well and try to be positive about every thing you do. believe in yourself no matter what. And the moment you get a negative thought suppress it by using your positive energies .
ashouldertocryon8
June 23rd, 2019 8:40pm
Often preventing negative thinking will make it worse. The best way to cope is to acknowledge the negative thoughts and try to work through them. This had been really effective for me. It can also be helpful to work through this stuff with a counselor or therapist. I found that working through the negative thoughts with someone you trust is really helpful and can not only help keep the negative thoughts at bay, it can also help widen your mind and make you think more broadly. It can help you think about the 'why'. Why you may be feeling these negative things.
Anonymous
June 1st, 2019 7:40pm
I understand it can be really difficult to prevent negative thinking, but there are many ways to prevent it. First of all, it's a good idea to say good things about yourself. What we think in ​our ​minds will eventually become what we believe. That's why it's important to tell good stuff about yourself! For instance, remind to yourself something that you did good! Moreover, once you start thinking negatively, try to distract yourself. It's like a trap! Try to watch a funny video, movie, talk to someone you trust about what's bothering you, go for a walk, take a hot bath and do some self-care.
swooned
May 31st, 2019 5:39pm
In my opinion, it is not possible for a person to be positive all the time. Negative things are just as much a part of life as positive things are. It might help to start with identifying negative thoughts, and then voluntarily choosing not to let them control you. It might seem very hard, but if you try, you can get into the habit of not letting negative thoughts affect your physical/mental/emotional health in a very bad manner. On a more practical level, it is necessary to stay physically active. The more productive you are, the lesser chances you will have to go into that vicious spiral of thoughts that accompany negative thinking.
ChanelChanel32
July 13th, 2018 9:01pm
If you’ve lived with negative thinking for a very long time, you might think it’s unrealistic to just suddenly expect yourself to change your approach. In this situation, even affirmations and thought stopping techniques may seem to merely delay negative thinking for a later date. If this sounds familiar, you might want to spend a couple of weeks at least enforcing boundaries when it comes to negative thinking. The idea here is that you choose a fixed, limited period for allowing your mind to entertain negative thoughts, and that you commit to forcibly stopping or fighting them at every other time of the week. When you’re reassured that you will have time to consider these thoughts, you may find they seem less powerful and have less potential to dominate your mind. Further, many people find that they can’t even think of anything when they come to their scheduled time to allow contemplation of negative thoughts, and that this actually helps them to break their pattern.
Anonymous
August 12th, 2018 10:31am
Negative thinking comes from self doubt, personally I think working on your self esteem, mindset and view on life helps to solve this
hopefulParadise73
August 3rd, 2018 2:35pm
By feeling gratitude for the good things. Making yourself busy in something constructive whenever you feel that negative thoughts start to come. Deep breathing can also help.
ReflectiveSoulHarsh
August 2nd, 2018 5:21pm
By slowing down, having longer pauses between thoughts. I embrace negative thoughts as much as positive or neutral thoughts. Most of the times, when a thought gives me a -ve emotion, I question myself "Is this just a -ve assumption or Is it a warning against overly +ve or ignorant decision"
AmethystUnicorn
July 25th, 2018 1:29pm
One thing that always helps me is challenging your negative thoughts! Identify whether or not the thought is true, rational, positive and if it isn't, replace it with one that is!
SarahBlank
July 25th, 2018 2:51am
Distracting yourself with anything, listening to music, and try to sleep when it’s too bad.
RiverOfDreams
July 22nd, 2018 4:59pm
I stop negativity in it's tracks by realizing that I have to make mistakes before I succeed, that I'm human and I can only act on my perception and my past, so everything is excusable.
dustlandfairytale
July 22nd, 2018 1:34am
I prevent negative thinking by listening to music I enjoy, watching my favorite movies and spending time with my dogs and other animals
Olweg
July 1st, 2018 8:39pm
Some exercises can help develop new habits of thinking in a more positive way. Like have a journal to write down daily positives things that happened to you or of which you're proud of. It can be challenging at first, but slowly your brain will take on that new habit and eventually stop focalizing only on negative thinking. Negative thinking about oneself can also be prevented by indulging in meditation and mindfullness, thinking of the situation as it were happening not to you but to a friend (we're more indulgent with friends than with ourselves).. :)
Caroline1908
June 24th, 2018 4:29pm
When you feel a negative thought coming on, it's best to recognize that thought and be aware of it. Sometimes it helps to write it down and challenge that thought; is it really true? Is there evidence to support it or go against it? In addition, I've also found that reading positive quotes, keeping a gratitude journal, writing, and distracting yourself can be great ways of dealing or even distracting yourself from negative thoughts. Sometimes it can be overwhelming, but remember your worth and that you can ALWAYS get through this.
Anonymous
June 24th, 2018 8:35pm
Negative thinking happens to everyone. Every time a negative thought pops up, replace it with something positive. For example, think of the ocean, a flower, a happy time, a butterfly, etc. Keep doing this over and over again to eradicate the negative feelings. For some, using a rubberband on the wrist trick works, every time you have a negative feeling snap the rubberband against the skin and immediately replace it with a positive thought. This helps train the brain to banish negative thoughts. Also, practicing mindfulness, living in the moment and breathing through negative thoughts and focusing on positive energy may help.
Ana4hear
June 28th, 2018 10:02pm
Be mindful and understand if it’s going to help you or not. Write a diary , positive journal...diary will help to put your thoughts and feelings on paper you will feel relieved. And positive journal will be helpful to see best in you, your surroundings and your life. You have to write 3 things in the positive journal daily.
Numinox
July 13th, 2018 7:46am
Focus on what you want to achieve in life. Remember life has it’s pro’s and con’s so listen to the pro’s!
Diya83
July 13th, 2018 5:31pm
Any time you start to think something negative, try to shift your mind to something cute, like dogs, or someone you admire. Try and remember all the highest points of you’re life, times with your friends and when you were really happy
Ikwan777
August 12th, 2018 6:32pm
You can try some thought stopping exercises where you replace the negative thought patterns with positive ones. Talk to a CBT specialist if you can afford it.
Anonymous
July 7th, 2018 6:44pm
Negative thinking is hard to avoid, but you can find positive things to counter them. Whenever you notice that the bad thoughts are clouding your mind, simply go back to the positive ones (Write them down if you want to). Positive thoughts to most scenarios can make your outlook on things much more positive in the end.