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IT'S OK IF YOU CAN'T do it
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USE A THOUGHT RECORD
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CHANGE THEM
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CHALLENGE  UNHELPFUL THOUGHTS
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PRACTICE CATCHING THEM
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KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR
catch it

check it

change it
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Transcript

PRACTICE CATCHING THEM

CHANGE THEM

IT'S OK IF YOU CAN'T do it

USE A THOUGHT RECORD

CHALLENGE UNHELPFUL THOUGHTS

catch itcheck itchange it

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KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR

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Evidence to support my unhelpful thoughts

How your feelings have changed after completing your thought record

My feelings – how this made you feel at first

Evidence against my unhelpful thoughts

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The situation – what happened?

Alternative, more realistic or neutral thoughts

Unhelpful thoughts I had

For example: "Frustrated, stupid."

For example: "I remembered everything else I needed to do. I'm usually very reliable when it comes to errands and don't put anything off."

For example: "Calmer, more confident in myself – I am neither stupid nor useless. Everyone forgets things from time to time."

For example: "It's not the first time I've forgotten something like this."

For example: "I never get anything right. I cannot be trusted even with simple tasks."

For example: "I remember to do far more errands than I forget. It's just that the forgotten ones stick in my memory.

For example: "I am annoyed at myself for forgetting to run an errand."

example:thought record

Click on a number to reveal example

Don't worry if you find the "Catch it, check it, change it" process challenging at first. Each step can take time to get used to, but it will get easier with practice.Completing a thought record can help with any part you find tricky. This short, structured exercise uses a set of 7 prompts to help you examine the evidence for your thoughts and feelings towards a situation and how you can begin to reframe them.

Use a thought record

Sometimes you can change an unhelpful thought to a positive or neutral one, but this will not always be possible.Don't worry if you cannot change your thought: there are no right or wrong answers, and changing your thought is not the only way to benefit from this process.Reframing your thoughts is about learning to think more flexibly and be more in control. If you learn to identify and separate unhelpful thoughts from helpful ones, you can find a different way to view the situation.This will not resolve your problems but can help break a negative spiral and give you a new perspective – things are often not as bad as we think.

Don't worry if you can't change a thought

Finally, see if you can change the thought to a neutral or more positive one.Review the questions you asked yourself while checking your thoughts and see how you can reframe the situation.For the work example, this could be something like: "I'm prepared. I've put a lot of work in, and I'm going to do my best" or "I've been in this job for a while and completed lots of important tasks before, so no one will think I'm a failure."

Change them

It's often the case that we are not even aware we're thinking in an unhelpful way. This can make it difficult to catch these thoughts in the first place. However, if we know what sort of thinking is unhelpful, we may find it easier to spot.Types of unhelpful thoughts include:

  • always expecting the worst outcome from any situation
  • ignoring the good sides of a situation and only focusing on the bad
  • seeing things as either only good or only bad, with nothing in between (black-and-white thinking)
  • considering yourself the sole cause of negative situations

Know what to look for

Try to keep the categories of negative thoughts in mind, and if you find yourself having an unhelpful thought as you go about your day, consider whether it fits one of them.Learning to tune into your thoughts like this might not be easy at first, but even being aware of the types of unhelpful thoughts that exist should help you start to recognise when you're engaging in unhelpful thinking.It should get easier as you practise reflecting on and assessing your thoughts. Over time, it may even become automatic.

Practice catching them

Once you have caught an unhelpful thought, the next stage is to check it. This means taking a step back and examining the situation.For example, you might be worried about an important task you must do at work and are convinced it will go wrong, and everyone will think you're a failure.Rather than immediately accepting this thought and feeling even worse, please take a moment to check it. Try asking yourself:

  • How likely is the outcome you're worried about?
  • Is there good evidence for it?
  • Are there other explanations or possible effects?
  • Is there good evidence for alternative ways of looking at the situation?
  • What would you say to a friend if they were thinking this way?

Check your unhelpful thoughts