Challenging negative thoughts

Recognising Automatic Negative Thoughts

We all have automatic negative thoughts (sometimes called ANTs). These thoughts pop into our minds quickly and can make us feel anxious or low.

They often sound harsh, unfair or not fully true.

• “I’m stupid”
• “Everyone thinks I’m boring”
• “I’m not good enough”
• “I’m going to mess everything up”

The first step is simply noticing these thoughts when they appear. The second step is gently testing how accurate they really are.

Common unhelpful thinking styles

Certain thinking patterns can make anxiety worse:

• Catastrophising: jumping straight to the worst possible outcome – “I’m going to lose my job and won’t be able to pay the bills.”
• Mind reading: assuming you know what other people are thinking.
• Fortune telling: predicting that something bad will happen.
• All-or-nothing thinking: seeing things as completely good or completely bad.
• Shoulds and musts: placing strict rules or pressure on yourself.

These thinking styles can feel convincing, but they are habits – and habits can change with practice.

The worry spiral

Anxiety often shows up as “what if” thinking.

Life is full of uncertainties, and it’s easy to worry about all the possible things that might go wrong.

• What if I lose my job and can’t pay the bills?
• What if I get sick and can’t work?
• What if my boyfriend finds someone else?

This type of thinking tries to protect you from uncertainty, but it doesn’t stop bad things from happening. Instead, it can create a spiral where one worry leads to another.

Keeping a thought diary

Writing your thoughts down can help you:

• notice patterns
• understand triggers
• see how thoughts affect feelings
• practice more balanced responses

Changing unhelpful ways of thinking

Trying to push thoughts away usually makes them stronger. What helps is gently noticing them, questioning how accurate they are, and practising more balanced ways of thinking.

This isn’t about forcing yourself to “think positive” or pretending everything is fine. It’s about being curious about your thoughts and finding kinder, more realistic alternatives.

Becoming aware of your thinking patterns can take time, especially if you’ve been stuck in them for a long while. You may notice small changes at first, and that’s okay. Like any new skill, it often happens gradually with practice.

Try it yourself

You will need to print off worksheets or download them to a computer or laptop to complete these activities.

You can use the ANTs and unhelpful thinking styles worksheet to explore more examples and practise changing unhelpful thoughts.

The Worry spiral worksheet explains how this works and gives you practical steps to slow down your thinking and stop the spiral.

Use the diary to note down when you have had an ANT that has given you an unpleasant or distressing feeling. You can use the ANTs and unhelpful thinking style worksheet to identify which kind of ANTs you tend to think.

The Ten steps to challenging an unhelpful thinking style worksheet helps you explore your thoughts, test how accurate they are, and find ways of responding that feel more helpful and supportive.

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If these activities feel difficult, you don’t have to do them on your own. They can be easier with the support of a therapist. 

You can always talk to your GP or refer yourself to Leeds Mental Wellbeing Service (NHS Talking Therapies).

Last updated: February 2026