If you have made it this far you have hopefully already read my blogs over the past 2 weeks regarding Core Beliefs and Unhelpful Thinking Patterns. Today we’re going to focus on a few different ways to challenge this negative unhelpful thinking. Some of this may look familiar if you read my blog “A New Year a New You.” In this blog I am going to give a few different ways to challenge this unhelpful thinking and let you decide which one(s) work best for you.

Unhelpful thinking patterns are very quick, automatic patterns of thinking that you have about yourself, others and life in general and they are often in line with your core beliefs. They are typically negative, judgmental, exaggerated, inflexible, rigid and very convincing. On top of that, they distort reality and contribute to feelings of depression, anger, stress, loneliness, hopelessness, helplessness, distrust, anxiety and fear. Other terms for thinking distortions are “Cognitive Distortions”, “Negative Thinking Patterns”, “Thought Distortions”, or “Automatic Thinking.”

Core beliefs are thinking patterns that we develop over time. We typically develop these beliefs through childhood and they become fairly fixed by late childhood or early adolescence. Our core beliefs direct how we judge our past actions and how we think about the future. Some core beliefs can be helpful, and some can be unhelpful.

Exercise is a natural anti-depressant. Not only does it make you feel good about yourself and doing something good for you. Science actually shows that it helps to change the chemistry of the brain, not only improving mood but also helping your brain to process anti-depressant medications more effectively.

Suicide is not a topic that many people openly talk about, even mental health providers often have a hard time asking patients about their suicidal thoughts, plans, if they have the means to follow through with the plan and what is their level of intent. But these are very important conversations we need to be having, not just as providers but with our loved ones.

Whether you are a doctor, nurse, therapist, assistant, fast food employee, delivery driver, sanitation worker, etc; you have and always will be “essential” but now that you are working endlessly and tirelessly who is taking care of you? Many of you are being forced to work long never ending hours and many of you are having to live separately from your families wether that is by choice to protect them or necessity. This is leading to further isolation when our mental health needs it the most. I want to let you know that you are not alone! There are many people out there to support you and who are in the same boat, I highly encouraged you to reach out for support.

Sounds like an oxy-moron right? By now you’ve probably gotten to the point where you feel like you’re losing your mind and trust me, you aren’t alone.

Apps and other ways to maintain social connection during the time of Social Distancing:

I’m going to a little off course here from my original plan as it seems this COVID-19/Coronavirus pandemic is going to be sticking around for awhile.