Lately, I’ve been paying more attention to how my thoughts affect my mood, and it’s wild how sneaky cognitive distortions can be. I’ll catch myself thinking in extremes—like “I always mess things up” or “nothing ever works out for me”—and I know logically that’s not true, but in the moment, it feels true. It turns out this kind of thinking is super common in depression, and recognizing it is the first step to breaking the cycle.
I’ve been trying a mix of things to challenge these patterns. Mindfulness helps me slow down and notice when I’m spiraling. Journaling gives me a way to put my thoughts on paper and question whether they’re actually based in reality. I’ve also heard that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is one of the most effective ways to reframe these distortions, and I’m thinking about diving deeper into that. And of course, basics like exercise, sleep, and just getting outside more all seem to help (even if they’re annoyingly hard to do when I’m feeling down).
I know everyone’s experience is different, so I’d love to hear—if you’ve struggled with these kinds of negative thought loops, what’s helped you the most? Have you found any specific strategies that really work for shifting your mindset? Let’s swap notes. 