Speaking Mental Health
Forward Times Mental Health Advisors
Having trouble sleeping? Feeling like you have nothing to look forward to? Are you worrying more than you should? Is it difficult to focus and make decisions? Is it hard to find the motivation and energy to do anything, especially things you used to enjoy? Are you feeling down on yourself?
If you said “YES” to several of the questions above, it’s time to recharge, reset, and get back in control of your life. Taking the time to review your thought processes and re-evaluate the way you perceive situations is the first step in learning how to understand your view of the world and making necessary revisions to regain happiness and control.
When you begin to feel the heaviness of self-doubt and other feelings that cause you to feel depleted, you do not have to face it alone. Talking to a trained and licensed therapist may assist you in finding ways to reframe your thoughts and replace them with thoughts and behaviors that will work better for you. When we find ourselves feeling depressed, our thoughts are often hopeless and self-defeating. A helpful way to get on the right track to feeling better about ourselves is to realize and understand the roots of our thoughts and how they affect our mood and feelings. For instance, making a mistake may often be interpreted as “I can’t do anything right!” or “Why do bad things always happen to me?” This type of thinking causes us to feel defeated which may result in negative behavior that will continue feed into the self-fulfilling prophecy of being a failure.
When we begin to understand that our thoughts and feelings go hand in hand, we can then begin to change our feelings and behaviors by changing our thought processes. Incorporating more positive thoughts will alter our feelings and allow us to feel more positive which will drive more positive behavior.
Get a journal and write down your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Try to change your thought processes to begin a more positive chain reaction between your feelings and behaviors. If you need help in this process, take your journal with you to see a trained and licensed therapist. Begin your journey to positivity today. You owe it to yourself!
Dr. Angela M. Powell is a Licensed Professional Counselor and owner of Progressive Counseling & Consulting, LLC., specializing in youth trauma, anxiety, and depression.
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