How Do I Limit and Stop Negative Thought Cycles?

We all have negative thoughts sometimes. Typically they occur when something emotionally difficult happens or when we’re thinking about an unresolved issue that happened in the past. And for some, these thoughts can spiral down the rabbit hole of despair for hours or days. This can lead to mental health concerns, such as depression, anxiety, burnout, difficulty sleeping, challenges in relationships, career issues and more. What can we do to limit and stop these negative thought cycles?

Positive self-talk can help if you’re stuck in negative rumination. This can be used in two ways. First, it can help when you’re stuck in the middle of a negative thought cycle. Get into a calm space, take some deep breaths and think or say some positive thoughts to counteract the negative thoughts. Transform “I’ll never get through this” into “Things will get better”, “I’m strong and I can do this”, “This feeling is only temporary.” Second, it can be a proactive mental health tool to prevent these cycles from happening. Think of taking care of your mental health like physical health. If you only exercise once every few months, you won’t be in healthy shape. Similarly, if you only work on your mental health when you’re in crisis, it will be unlikely you’ll break the thought patterns that get you there and develop new and healthier ones.

This is just one tool you can use to care for your mental health. There are many others I discuss in this blog so check them out. If you’d like to learn more about this or other topics, contact me for a free consultation.

Take care and be well,
Rich Lombino, Esq., LCSW
Therapist & Lawyer
Lombino Counseling LLC
(302) 273-0700
[email protected]
richlombino.com

Therapy in Delaware, Pennsylvania, New York & Florida