Stage 2 · Lesson 6 of 7
Questioning a stressful thought
Once you notice a thinking trap, you can test the thought instead of obeying it. CBT uses a simple written exercise, often called a thought record. Write down the situation, the thought, and how strongly you believe it from 0 to 100.
Then ask: what is the evidence for this thought, and against it? What would I tell a friend who thought this? What is a more balanced way to see it?
Write the balanced thought and rate your belief again. You are not trying to force positive thinking; "I will definitely pass" is as unbalanced as "I will definitely fail". A good balanced thought sounds like "I am behind in two subjects, and I have three weeks to catch up".
Common trapdoing this only in your head, where the anxious thought usually wins.
A question to check yourself and an AI practice session come when you add the roadmap to your account. Add it
Resources for this stage
Start with· follow one of these
- GuideFreeDoing What Matters in Times of Stress (WHO)
World Health Organization
WHO's illustrated guide: grounding, unhooking from thoughts and acting on what matters
- VideoFreeHow to Make Stress Your Friend (Kelly McGonigal, TEDGlobal 2013)
Kelly McGonigal (TEDGlobal 2013)
A short talk on how the way you see stress changes how it affects you
Practise
Free guided breathing and calming exercises to practise daily
- moodgymPaid
A free online CBT programme for spotting and questioning unhelpful thoughts
Keep handy
Struggling right now? If you are in danger or thinking about harming yourself, contact local emergency services or a crisis line: Find a helpline (any country), Umang (Pakistan), Tele-MANAS, 14416 (India).