Exterminating ANTS

Lately, I've been concentrating on Automatic Negative Thoughts (ANTs) with my clients. These thoughts are linked to our inner critic and have developed as a protective mechanism in our brains. If left unnoticed and unchecked, ANTs can result in anxiety and depression. Our negative past experiences take up significantly more space in our brains than positive ones because, evolutionarily, negative experiences had a greater impact on our survival. Unfortunately, even though we now face fewer life-threatening situations, our brains are still wired to react swiftly and intensely to perceived threats or negative situations and to remember which situations could harm us in the future.

This is where Automatic Negative Thoughts come into play. ANTs are "involuntary, negative beliefs that occur habitually in response to specific situations." While we can't control or entirely prevent these thoughts, we can learn to recognize them for what they are and reframe them. Recognizing and reframing ANTs can prevent them from negatively affecting mental health. There are various types of Automatic Negative Thoughts, such as catastrophizing, mind-reading, all-or-none thinking, and the should haves/could haves, among others. It's crucial for individuals to identify which thought patterns they tend to fall into so they can begin to reframe those thoughts when they arise. Once a client identifies a particular thought as one of their negative thinking traps, they can start questioning it. I usually suggest that my clients ask themselves if there is any evidence that the thought is true or if there is evidence that it is not true. Another strategy I teach my clients is to consider what they would say to a good friend who was having a similar thought. Lastly, I encourage my clients to put these thoughts into perspective by asking themselves what the worst possible outcome would be if the thought were true, how they would cope, what the absolute best possible outcome of the situation would be, and how that would feel. Now, what is the MOST LIKELY outcome? Our ANTs are rooted in our limbic system, so it's crucial that when these thoughts arise, we take a moment to engage our rational frontal cortex and reframe those thoughts.

In conclusion, anxiety and negative thoughts were crucial in the past when our survival was frequently at risk, and some of these negative thoughts and worries remain helpful when they occur infrequently and with low intensity. For instance, a slight nudge from our inner critic about forgetting our homework might help us remember it next time. However, jumping to the automatic negative thought of "I'm such an idiot. I never remember anything!" is not helpful, and having these types of thoughts regularly can lead to poor self-esteem, low motivation, depression, and generalized anxiety.