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Topic Tuesday // Tues, 15 March, 7pm AEDT // Managing and changing your thoughts

NikNikSenior Contributor03 Mar 2016, 3:52 pm AEDT

Topic Tuesday // Tues, 15 March, 7pm AEDT // Managing and changing your thoughts

How does the way we think influence the way we feel?

With Brain Awareness Week coming up from 14-20 March, we decided to investigate what goes on in our minds, which we may or may not be aware of, and how this can contribute to mental illness.

Join us on Tuesday, 15 March at 7pm AEDT to be part of the conversation!

4 things you can do now:

1. Register as a member of the forums, which enables you to participate in the session

2. Hit the like button below to receive an email reminder on the night

3. Check out a blog about how our thinking patterns can maintain our distress

4. Leave a question below, if you can't make it tonight

103 replies

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In response to: Topic Tuesday // Tues, 15 March, 7pm AEDT // Managing and changing your thoughts

Polly48Senior Contributor15 Mar 2016, 7:48 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday // Tues, 15 March, 7pm AEDT // Managing and changing your thoughts

By the way do you have any advice re post I made before this started?re my impulsive spending habit and decluttering . Is CBT useful in this situation?

In response to: Topic Tuesday // Tues, 15 March, 7pm AEDT // Managing and changing your thoughts

LookingupCasual Contributor15 Mar 2016, 7:48 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday // Tues, 15 March, 7pm AEDT // Managing and changing your thoughts

Hi. I can relate to personalization and lebelling. I find that I have a series of criticisms that i say to myself regularly. So would it help to replace each theme with a positive one and each time i find myself having these negative thoughts then using the positive affirmation?

In response to: Topic Tuesday // Tues, 15 March, 7pm AEDT // Managing and changing your thoughts

ShimmerSenior Contributor15 Mar 2016, 7:50 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday // Tues, 15 March, 7pm AEDT // Managing and changing your thoughts

That is really common @Polly48 - that's why people can get stuck in these patterns for a long time!

Changing your thinking patterns does take time. It’s not an instantaneous decision that changes your whole perspective in a single moment. Rather, it takes ongoing practice for new thinking patterns to become habitual. This is because of how automatic unhelpful thinking patterns are – which makes sense given they’ve developed throughout your whole life! I’m not saying this to make people concerned that changing their outlook will be impossible, but rather to clarify that it is often a gradual process, so don’t expect to see changes overnight, but keep persisting to shift your thinking styles.

There are some tools which can help identify and change your thinking patterns: This worksheet can help you get used to identifying your automatic thoughts in response to different situations, and becoming aware of how these impact on your feelings and behaviours. This thought monitoring record expands on the other worksheet to include columns to identify the unhelpful thinking style (“distortion”) being used, to come up with an alternative, more balanced, thought, and to notice the outcome of modifying the thought on your mood and behaviour.

In response to: Topic Tuesday // Tues, 15 March, 7pm AEDT // Managing and changing your thoughts

Shaz51Senior Contributor15 Mar 2016, 7:50 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday // Tues, 15 March, 7pm AEDT // Managing and changing your thoughts

Yes , my hubby agrees with @Polly48

Please forgive me if i say something not right as my hubby is talking non stop about the subject while i am writting

In response to: Topic Tuesday // Tues, 15 March, 7pm AEDT // Managing and changing your thoughts

CherryBombSenior Contributor15 Mar 2016, 7:51 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday // Tues, 15 March, 7pm AEDT // Managing and changing your thoughts

It's great to see to see how this model works in action. I wonder if we could do this a group activity?

Where we fill out the blanks? @Polly48 @Jacques @Shaz51 @Drac0. Want to join me in filling out the blanks?

A) The situation = _____________

B) The thoughts = _______________

C) The consequences: ______________

Me:

The situation: public speaking

The thoughts: Everyone is going to think that my presentation is bad

The consequences: feeling anxious and doubtful

In response to: Topic Tuesday // Tues, 15 March, 7pm AEDT // Managing and changing your thoughts

ShimmerSenior Contributor15 Mar 2016, 7:53 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday // Tues, 15 March, 7pm AEDT // Managing and changing your thoughts

Hi @Jacques, thanks for joining us and bringing up neuroplasticity - it is of great interest to me too! That's exactly right, you can change your brain through routine 🙂 Thanks for sharing the book you found helpful! Here is a short YouTube clip that also explains this concept really well.

In response to: Re: Topic Tuesday // Tues, 15 March, 7pm AEDT // Managing and changing your thoughts

JacquesSenior Contributor15 Mar 2016, 7:53 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday // Tues, 15 March, 7pm AEDT // Managing and changing your thoughts

Situation = Going out in public

the Thoughts = Everyone is a threat, everyone hates me

The consequences = I Rarly leave the house

In response to: Re: Topic Tuesday // Tues, 15 March, 7pm AEDT // Managing and changing your thoughts

Polly48Senior Contributor15 Mar 2016, 7:54 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday // Tues, 15 March, 7pm AEDT // Managing and changing your thoughts

Thanks I will follow up your suggestions

In response to: Re: Topic Tuesday // Tues, 15 March, 7pm AEDT // Managing and changing your thoughts

ShimmerSenior Contributor15 Mar 2016, 7:55 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday // Tues, 15 March, 7pm AEDT // Managing and changing your thoughts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELpfYCZa87g

In response to: Topic Tuesday // Tues, 15 March, 7pm AEDT // Managing and changing your thoughts

LookingupCasual Contributor15 Mar 2016, 7:56 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday // Tues, 15 March, 7pm AEDT // Managing and changing your thoughts

Situation = sitting alone in a cafe
Thoughts = I'm not good enough to be here with someone
Consequence = i feel sad

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