Blocking harmful thoughts 1 identifying the thoughts underlying your feelings 2 challenging negative thoughts and creating alternatives 3 using ABS self-help forms to manage emotions To become your own CBT therapist you need to use a key CBT technique - recording ABS formulas (event - thoughts - feelings), which allow you to identify, evaluate and replace negative thoughts with the help of pen and paper. Your thoughts affect your feelings. Thus, replacing harmful thoughts is the key to improving your well-being. Catching negative automatic thoughts. At the first stage, we fill out three columns: A - activating event B - views, beliefs and thoughts C - consequence (emotions) Establishing a connection between thoughts and feelings. B-C connection When you see this connection, you will understand why you should change your thoughts. We objectively evaluate our thoughts 1 . Examine your negative thoughts more thoroughly. To learn how to control harmful thoughts, ask yourself the following questions: Can I prove that my thought is 100 percent correct? What effect does this type of thinking have? Is my thought completely logical and reasonable? People whose opinions I listen to agree with this thought?What evidence is there to refute this thought?Is my thought balanced or critical?Is my thought definitive and fixed or flexible?Am I thinking objectively and realistically, or are my thoughts influenced by how I feel? Think carefully about everything and perhaps write down the points that you need to change in your harmful thoughts. The following is a list of questions and tips that will help you as you work on filling out the Form.2. Find alternatives to each of your harmful thoughts, attitudes and beliefs. This is a crucial stage, because alternative thoughts are what will help you feel better! The following questions will help you find some alternatives. Is there a more helpful way to look at the situation? Can I encourage my friends to think this way? When I feel good, do I think differently? Based on my past experiences, can I conclude that there is another possible option? Which way of thinking is more flexible and less categorical? Which is a more realistic or balanced approach to thinking Is there evidence that does not support my thought? What should my thoughts be like for me to feel and act differently? Some thoughts are more intrusive than others, and you will not be able to completely change them at once. It is quite typical and even normal that you will have to struggle with it for a while your negative automatic thoughts before they weaken and succumb to change. Think of it like you're training your mind to think more flexibly and constructively over time. Some intrusive thoughts, images, and doubts can get worse if you dig into them. But you can conduct a behavioral experiment and collect as much evidence as possible that your new alternative thoughts are confirmed in reality