Do you have a tendency to focus on the negative, or see things as either black or white – without noticing the grey in the middle, or perhaps you can’t seem to rationally consider a situation without going to the worst possible outcome? You could be trapped in a spiral of unhelpful thinking patterns. But just what are ‘unhelpful thinking patterns’, how do they manifest, and how can we break the cycle? Sandhya Bhattacharya, BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) Registered Adult and Relationship Psychotherapist, helps us get a better understanding. Let’s dive in.
What are the most common and clinically recognised unhelpful thinking patterns that people frequently get “trapped in”, and how do these patterns typically manifest in daily life?
Unhelpful thinking patterns are closely related to ‘core beliefs,’ i.e. how people fundamentally see themselves. The way in which they see themselves often develops from how they believe they were seen in early relationships. We carry ‘internal maps’ about relationships, i.e. predicting how people will respond to us, based on our internal representations of relationships.
Core beliefs can be very helpful – for example, ‘I am enough,’ ‘I am kind, thoughtful, intelligent, courageous’, and so on. They can also be debilitating – for example, I am ‘not enough,’ ‘not lovable,’ ‘worthless.’ Core beliefs are triggered in moments of intense interactions with other people, or when we experience significant events in our lives.
Which therapeutic modalities are generally considered most effective in helping clients identify, challenge, and reframe these deeply ingrained unhelpful thinking patterns?
In the UK, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is most often used within NHS settings and is helpful in understanding and reframing unhelpful thinking patterns. But really, the core of any therapeutic approach is to understand why a person is in pain, what they understand about themselves and their conflict. Ultimately, every therapeutic approach tries to work with the way we see and think about ourselves and help us develop compassion and awareness. Part of this process is to identify patterns of thinking that are unhelpful and to explore why they exist. What we call “unhelpful”, might reveal in therapy, thinking patterns that have helped a person adapt to difficult circumstances.
Resources that can help with unhelpful thinking patterns, also known as cognitive distortions:
Anxiety Toolkit by Alice Boyes
Reframing Unhelpful Thoughts– NHS
Cognitive Distortions – NHS
How do unhelpful thinking patterns directly contribute to mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, or low self-esteem, and what is the relationship between the frequency of these thoughts and the severity of the emotional impact?
These patterns of thinking affect the core beliefs we hold about ourselves. They reaffirm a sense of ourselves that we find painful to accept. In response, we might adapt behaviours (withdrawal, repetition, compulsive behaviours), that help temporarily ease the pain. If these emotions are not addressed and worked through, clients can find themselves in a repetitive cycle of thought, discomfort and maladaptive behaviours, which they find difficult to manage.
Sandhya Bhattacharya is a BACP Registered, Relate trained, relationship therapist and clinical supervisor, working with young people, individuals, couples, and families. Providing both in-person sessions in North-West London, and online therapy, giving clients the flexibility to receive support wherever they are. Sandhya’s passion lies in helping people build healthier relationships, understand the root causes of emotional struggles, and develop stronger coping strategies.
Featured image: Liza Summer, Pexels
