Negative Thoughts

[lime]

Hello

I'm trying to figure something out and I thought it'd be good to get some different angles on it.

When I'm around others, if I happen to be thinking positive things about myself "This is going well", "This person is enjoying my company" etc then I'll be more comfortable and behave more comfortably.
This is true of the opposite, when I thing negatively, I end up becoming negative.

I experience similar thoughts (though less intense) when by myself, so I figure if I combat them enough when I'm alone, it will eventually become automatic and habitual until it will have some automatic effect to when I'm around others.

My question is:

What is the most healthy way of handling negative thoughts?

So far I've figured, suppressing them is bad, arguing or fighting against them is bad, believing and allowing them to control me is bad.

I think the best way of handling them is to forcibly stop the negative thought as soon as I recognise it and then just attempt to visualise the exact opposite until I feel happier.
The idea is eventually, it will become engrained and automatic.. I'm just worried that this is just yet another method of supression and It isn't really solving the negative problem.
Althought perhaps just the act of blocking the negative thought is instructing my brain I don't want them anymore.

I'm not sure.. what do people think?

 

[lime]

Exactly - It gets to a point where you're struggling to tell what is a negative irrational thought and what isn't - especially as the line can be blurred.

Its a good idea to try writing them down, I just think that most of my negative thoughts are so irrational that even if I try to solve them logically they keep coming back, which shows that its less to do with it being a genuine problem and more that its just an excuse to keep beating myself up.

I guess just replacing a negative thought with something positive isn't enough.. trying to 'solve' the problem and looking at it in the most positive possible light would be most healthy in the long run.

I've been thinking about this whole thing for hours now and I'm getting so confused.

btw LOL at your avatar!
Lindsay, are you forgetting that I was a professional twice over - an analyst and a therapist. The world's first analrapist.

 

[kayelle]

The best solution I have to negative thoughts is to say positive thoughts to myself to counteract the negative thoughts I'm having. If I'm saying to myself, I think I'm going to panic, I just say to myself, I am safe here, and I can handle any feelings that I experience. I think knowing what you're thinking and what's bothering you is important because then you can contradict those feelings. And also accepting the bad feelings you're having, Teton to supress them just makes them worse in my experience!
My negative thoughts are definitely one of the main thing that holds me back when I'm trying to be comfortable somewhere. So annoying!

 

[no1]

one thing I do is.. I kinda make fun of myself.. or I realize that I'm being "too" serious. actually... sometimes I can't even think positively, so I just try to become blank and forget I even exist. no negative or positive thoughts, just nothing.

or I think of something cozy... if i can.