Change Thoughts (Part III)

Goal

To improve your thoughts and interpretations related to social situations.

Challenging Thoughts Exercise (Barlow, p. 101)

Instructions: Identify a single inaccurate thought or belief and answer the following questions:

1. What is the evidence for and against this idea?
2. Is your belief a habit or based on facts?
3. Are your interpretations of the situation too far removed from reality to be accurate?
4. Are you thinking in all-or-nothing terms?
5. Are you using words or phrases that are extreme or exaggerated? (i.e., always, forever, never, need, should, must, can’t, and every time)
6. Are you taking the situation out of context and only focusing on one aspect of the event?
7. Is the source of information reliable?
8. Are you confusing a low probability with a high probability?
9. Are your judgments based on feelings rather than facts?
10. Are you focused on irrelevant factors?

Example: You may think that no one wants to talk to you. Consider the evidence for and against this thought. Yes, you may not receive a lot of phone calls or invitations to hang out with friends, but when people have reached out to you in the past, you turned them down in fear of being rejected.

Learn more about thinking mistakes and challenging thoughts by watching the following video:

Remember!
Most relevant Wellness and self-care skills when it comes to this population:

• Getting at least 5h uninterrupted sleep, if possible, per night (which usually means getting family to help).
• Eating frequent small meals.
• Going to walks (mild-moderate exercise).
• Getting sunlight.
• Asking for help to get these things done (ask if someone can watch baby while showering, someone to bring food, etc).