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James Donaldson on Mental Health – Cognitive Distortions – Understanding And Challenging Negative Thoughts
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Whether or not you regularly struggle with your mental health, you have likely experienced a cognitive distortion before. Cognitive distortions are exactly what they sound like – they are negative thoughts that spawn when your mind bends reality to create an unlikely, untrue, or implausible scenario that causes you more worry and concern than necessary.
Though cognitive distortions can feel scary and difficult to handle, it is possible to work through these negative thoughts for good.
Why do people develop cognitive distortions?
There are a variety of reasons why a person might experience negative thoughts brought on by cognitive distortions.
They are experiencing high levels of stress or anxiety about a certain area of their life.
If you are already feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or stressed, it can be easy to allow your thinking patterns to wander down a negative pathway. Worriers and anxious people tend to assume the worst and, when they are already leaning toward negative thinking, these thoughts can begin to multiply and spiral out of control.
They maintain a negative attitude.
People with negative attitudes tend to experience a lot of cognitive distortions and negative thoughts. If you approach life with a generally negative attitude, it is natural that your thinking patterns would also follow suit.
They have trauma.
Past traumatic experiences can cause a person to develop issues with cognitive distortions and negative thinking. After experiencing trauma, the brain can continue to focus on those bad experiences, leading to a cycle of negative and distorted thinking.
Why is it so hard to challenge negative thinking and cognitive distortions?
Like any habit or ritual, if you are extremely used to thinking negatively and experiencing cognitive distortions, then it can be difficult for you to exit this “norm” and think more positively or rationally. Even if the negative thinking is truly hurting and affecting you, if it is a pattern of behavior you are used to, then learning how to defy it in favor of something different can be difficult.
#James Donaldson notes: Welcome to the “next chapter” of my life… being a voice and an advocate for #mentalhealthawarenessandsuicideprevention, especially pertaining to our younger generation of students and student-athletes. Getting men to speak up and reach out for help and assistance is one of my passions. Us men need to not suffer in silence or drown our sorrows in alcohol, hang out at bars and strip joints, or get involved with drug use. Having gone through a recent bout of #depression and #suicidalthoughts myself, I realize now, that I can make a huge difference in the lives of so many by sharing my story, and by sharing various resources I come across as I work in this space.#http://bit.ly/JamesMentalHealthArticle Find out more about the work I do on my 501c3 non-profit foundation website www.yourgiftoflife.org Order your copy of James Donaldson’s latest book, #CelebratingYourGiftofLife: From The Verge of Suicide to a Life of Purpose and Joy
What are some strategies you can use to move past cognitive distortions?
If you are ready to end cognitive distortions and negative thoughts for good, consider implementing these basic strategies to get started.
Make yourself aware of when you are having negative thoughts.
If you’ve been a negative thinker for a long time, you may not even notice when you’re experiencing cognitive distortions or negative thinking because they feel very normal and natural to you! Practice noticing when these types of thoughts are happening. Be mindful of your thinking patterns and pay close attention to your thoughts and how they make you feel. You can’t get rid of a negative thinking habit without first being aware of it.
Learn your triggers.
What causes your spiral of cognitive distortions or negative thinking to begin? Pay attention to what people, places, things, or events cause you to begin experiencing negative thinking. Being more aware of these specific triggers can help you better understand how to lessen the amount of negative thinking you experience.
Actively replace negative thoughts with more positive ones.
When you notice yourself having a negative thought, make an effort to pause, consider the thought, and then replace it with something more positive or truthful. Negative thoughts are often borne of fear, anxiety, or stress – which is why they’re often cognitive distortions. They are usually quite “distorted” from reality, seeming much worse than they actually are. Practice noticing why these negative thoughts are distorted and then replacing them with something positive and more truthful or rooted in reality.
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James Donaldson is a Washington State University graduate (’79). After an outstanding basketball career with WSU, he went on to play professional basketball in the NBA with the Seattle Supersonics, San Diego/L.A. Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, and Utah Jazz. He also played for several teams in the European Leagues in Spain, Italy, and Greece, and he toured with The Harlem Globetrotters to wrap up his career. James was an NBA All-Star in 1988 while playing center for the Dallas Mavericks. In 2006, James was inducted into the Pac-10 Sports Hall of Fame and also the Washington State University Athletic Hall of Fame. In 2010, James was elected as a board member for the NBA Retired Players Association.
James frequently conducts speaking engagements (motivational, inspirational, educational) for organizations, schools, and youth groups.
In 2010, James was the recipient of the NBA Legends of Basketball ABC Award, awarded for outstanding contributions in Athletics–Business–Community.
He believes in being a role model for success and professionalism to the scores of young people to whom he devotes so much of his time. He currently serves on several boards and committees and is a member of many organizations.
James believes in developing relationships that create a “Win-Win” environment for everyone involved, and in being the best he can be!
For more information about James Donaldson or to request he speak at your event, contact him at:
James Donaldson is the author of “Standing Above The Crowd” and “Celebrating Your Gift of Life” and founder of the Your Gift of Life Foundation which focuses on mental health awareness and suicide prevention, especially pertaining to our school aged children and men.
If you’re interested in having James come and speak to your group of young adults, business entrepreneurs, aspiring political and community leaders, and athletic teams, please contact him at [email protected] and or leave a personal message for him at 1-800-745-3161. Keep up with him and read about how he is reaching out and making a difference in the lives of so many around the world at www.yourgiftoflife.org
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