How to Rewire Looping Negative Thoughts

LOOPING NEGATIVE THOUGHTSSUBCONSCIOUS REPROGRAMMINGCONFIDENCEEMOTIONAL HEALTH

Apr 20

Automatic negative thoughts are like unwelcome guests at a party we never invited them to—persistent, intrusive, and seemingly impossible to shake off.

Studies show that we have approximately 60,000 thoughts a day, and 90% of those are repeat thoughts and 70% of our thoughts are negative. That’s a heavy load we’re carrying without even realising.

But why do they have such a strong grip on our minds? In this blog, I share why these thoughts take root, how they shape our perception of reality and how to dismantle and rewire them.

The most important thing to remember is that these intrusive thoughts are there for a reason, but they’re often irrational or faulty and periodically need to be challenged and upgraded.

We’re hardwired to find patterns and meaning to make sense of the world around us, and many of those thoughts are untrue like the "crazy mirror” at a fairground, distorting our perception of reality and amplifying negative emotions.

The Brain's Filtering System

Let’s start with the brain and how it decides to latch onto the thoughts we don’t want it to.

The average adult human brain can accumulate the equivalent of 2.5 million gigabytes of memory. Scientific American

Our brains are like advanced data processing centres, bombarded with about 11 million pieces of information per second—our conscious minds can only process a tiny fraction of it, approximately 40 pieces per second. The brain relies heavily on our unconscious minds to process, filter, and sort this information overload.

It creates mental shortcuts to filter incoming information and relies on past imprints, memories and patterns. These can stem from childhood and are influenced by our experiences in our family, school, community, and culture. They could also stem from statements from adult figures or peers, messages received through social media or TV, adverse life events or traumatic experiences that may all play a role.

Sometimes these mental shortcuts are helpful, but information gets distorted or deleted in the filtering system generating internal biases - We’ve all had them from time to time. Some of us more than others. Our brain uses these biases (over 200 of them) to protect us – both to keep us safe from harm and from all the overload of information our brain is dealing with every second.

One of the most common that influences our looping negative thoughts is Cognitive Distortions. These are usually so subtle and part of our regular thinking patterns that they’re difficult to recognise because we treat these thoughts as fact.

The more we do that, the more difficult our lives are likely to be, as they make us see the world as a more negative or dangerous place than it really is.

They can also unconsciously fuel anxiety, unhappiness and make us feel bad about ourselves.

Ultimately, our cognitive distortions are driving our negative looping thoughts by misrepresenting our reality and reinforcing negative beliefs, leading to a cycle of rumination, self-criticism, and emotional distress.

11 Common Types of Cognitive Distortions

Learning to identify cognitive distortions is the first step in challenging negative thinking patterns. Here are eleven common types of thinking errors:

All-or-nothing thinking: Sometimes called black-and-white thinking leaving out the possibility of any grey area.
Mindreading: When we assume that somebody else is having certain thoughts, often negative, about us.
Catastrophising: Creating a disaster scenario in our mind, based on little or no concrete evidence.
Emotional reasoning: When we believe our thoughts and emotions are right not objective facts.
Labelling: When we classify ourselves as a categorically bad or unworthy person because of one event.
Mental filtering: When we only focus on negative information and ignore or devalue positive information.
Overgeneralisation: Like catastrophising, it’s expecting more bad things to happen because of one negative event
Personalisation: It’s blaming yourself for events that you aren’t (fully) responsible for.
Should statements: Thoughts based on the idea that the world or people “should” or “shouldn’t” be a certain way
Disqualifying the positive: When we dismiss positive things that have happened, we’re distorting the reality.
Always Being Right Perfectionists and those struggling with Imposter Syndrome struggle with this belief that they must be correct, right or perfect often to move forward.

Internalising or Externalising Cognitive Distortions?

We tend to lean towards either internalising or externalising types of cognitive distortions.

Externalising can affect our relationships and be more socially damaging. Here are a few examples:

Blaming: When we believe that other people are at fault for something. Ultimately, we’re upset and believe that the other person caused our negative emotions.

Controlling: When someone believes that they have the right to control others for example thinking their solution to a problem is the best and gives unsolicited advice to control others.

The most common ones I see in my clients and had myself are internalising (self-focused) cognitive distortions. For example.

Self-blame. When we blame ourselves for others’ feelings instead of accepting that each person has ownership of their feelings. This damages self-esteem.

People pleasing. Believing that other people have the right to control us. We might voluntarily, and unconsciously, act in ways that please others, even if these actions go against our core values and needs.

Putting ourselves down. Putting ourselves down in front of people or just inside our own minds, because we have deeper faulty thinking about not being good enough in some way- not smart enough, attractive enough, thin enough, successful enough, etc…

Sacrificing our needs. It’s healthy to put the needs of others first sometimes, especially parents. However, chronically and constantly devaluing our needs suggests low self-worth.

We are, as a species, addicted to story. Even when the body goes to sleep, the mind stays up all night, telling itself stories.
The Storytelling Animal by Jonathan Gottschall

Our brains are also like master mixers, blending cognitive distortions seamlessly into our thoughts.

Imagine strolling through town when you spot a friend. You wave, but they don't seem to notice and keep walking. On a good day, you might brush it off with, " They probably didn't see me." But if you're feeling a bit down, those cognitive distortions can start to take over:

"Are they mad at me?" (mindreading);
"Did I do something to upset them?" (personalisation);
"Maybe they don't want to be friends anymore?" (catastrophising).

It's like our minds become expert storytellers, weaving narratives that amplify our worries and anxieties.

Ultimately, our cognitive distortions drive our of negative looping thoughts by misrepresenting our reality and reinforcing negative beliefs, leading to a cycle of rumination, self-criticism, and emotional distress.

Resolving the Root Causes not the Symptoms

Understanding the root of automatic negative thoughts is like digging out weeds from the root rather than just trimming them on the surface. It's a deeper, more holistic approach that lays the foundation for lasting change and improved mental health

While there are many therapies and modalities and ways to begin to identify and reshape negative thought patterns such as CBT, Mindfulness, Meditation, Journaling, and positive affirmations which are proven solutions they use the logical conscious mind (5%) which can take a longer deliberate, consistent, practice, patience and effort.

“While we can change our thoughts to change our emotions. It is also natural and automatic for us to think after we feel. Emotions are generated by the part of the brain that isn’t logical but keeps us alive. In other words, our brains bypass slow, logical thinking when immediate, gut reactions are required.” (Krebs & Denton, 1997).

Emotions overpower logic every time. I believe these other methods work better to maintain emotional fitness after resolving the root causes.

This is where my preferred method of Hypnotherapy comes in. Through Rapid Transformational hypnotherapy, we are accessing and communicating with the unconscious mind ( 95%) directly to address the underlying emotions and core beliefs that contribute to negative thinking making it a faster approach compared to solely working with the conscious mind. (5%)

Leveraging Neuroplasticity: The Power of Hypnotherapy

Science has shown that our brain can rewire itself in response to experiences, and training, to form new neural connections even up to 80 years old.

Hypnotherapy leverages neuroplasticity to speed up rewiring negative thought patterns, carving new pathways in the brain for positive change. Using Rapid Transformational Hypnotherapy, we can expedite the process of rewiring and looping negative thoughts.

We introduce positive suggestions and reframing techniques by bypassing the logical conscious mind and communicating directly with the subconscious mind, where cognitive distortions are rooted. Phrases like "I am worthy" or "I am capable" are employed to reprogram your subconscious mind, instilling more positive beliefs about yourself.

This approach empowers you to actively reshape your thinking patterns and develop healthier coping strategies. It supports you in rewiring automatic negative thoughts, fostering a greater sense of calm and well-being.

Many clients have experienced remarkable results with this treatment, often seeing significant changes in just two to three sessions. Alternatively, for a more comprehensive approach, I offer a blended program combining hypnotherapy with Mindset Coaching. This program includes tools specifically designed to help reshape internalised cognitive distortions, incorporating nervous system regulation techniques. By swiftly diffusing the energy of automatic negative thoughts, this approach enables you to redirect your focus towards cultivating a life brimming with joy, fulfilment, and emotional freedom.

You are not your thoughts

Understanding the patterns of your thoughts, how they’ve been shaped, and most importantly that you are separate from your thoughts gives you the space to observe them without becoming attached to or overwhelmed by them. It empowers you to recognise that thoughts are transient and subjective, and you can choose how to respond to them.

You can also change them.

If you’d like support to rewire unhelpful disempowering thoughts to unlock more energy, focus, joy, confidence, and mental bandwidth,- you’re welcome to explore my services here and arrange a complimentary introduction call.