A.N.T. is an acronym for the phrase “automatic negative thoughts” – a term referring to the negative thought patterns commonly associated with anxiety.
We’re not referring to the little guys that ruin picnics and eat your food, but these type of A.N.T.s are just as harmful and problematic. If left unchallenged, the A.N.T.s fuel emotions that leave sufferers feeling frustrated and powerless to mood disorders and anxieties. Today, I discuss the therapeutic practice of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and how it can help replace these negative thoughts with the positive – exterminating your A.N.T.s once and for all.
The Formation of A.N.T.s
Those with anxiety disorders face a daunting challenge. They must learn to respond to conditioned patterns of critical, negative, or catastrophic thoughts in completely new and different ways. They are plagued by negative expectations and worry about when the next bad thing is going to happen. If repeated and reinforced often enough, this worry becomes the conditioned response. This leads to the development of dysfunctional and automatic patterns of behavior, feeling, and thought.
The Nature of Thought and CBT
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (learn more about it here) is an evidence-based treatment for anxiety disorders. It involves increasing awareness of HOW a person thinks and explores the relationship between thought, emotions, and behavior. To understand how CBT works, we must first understand that the mind is constantly processing large amounts of information at several levels of thinking. The first level contains the thoughts we are fully aware of thinking known as conscious thought. Beneath conscious thought is automatic thought. Automatic thought is the stream of thoughts and images containing assumptions based on our past experiences. Because of this, automatic thought is constant and we are often unaware of its presence. Lastly, there are our core beliefs (also know as schemas) which are the bedrock of the thought process and guide our attitudes and beliefs about ourselves and the world around us.
Putting it Together
CBT involves becoming a better observer of thoughts, images, perceptions, assumptions, and beliefs. When anxiety is present, it is important to identify the pattern of A.N.T.s (automatic negative thoughts) that drive it. CBT helps people recognize these thoughts and evaluate whether they are accurate or rational. Once this is identified, we explore alternative approaches to negative thought and work toward thoughtful response rather than automatic reaction. The ultimate goal of CBT is to replace the distorted thinking patterns with more balanced ones. In this way, we challenge the A.N.Ts and and encourage the formation of positive thought and appropriate response.
Try it for Yourself
When you find yourself struggling with you A.N.Ts, try this quick four-step process based on the CBT technique:
- STOP – simply interrupting the negative reaction can help.
- BREATHE – and work toward relaxing the body so the mind can follow.
- REFLECT – consider, “What are the thoughts going through my mind about this situation? What to I believe about the situation? Are there any old messages or images affecting my perception? What exactly am I afraid of?”
- REDIRECT – Now ask yourself, “Are my current thoughts or perceptions serving me well at this moment? Are there any other ways to look at this situation? What would I say to a friend who is feeling the way I’m feeling right now?”
The beauty of CBT is that it can be applied to a wide range of problems, conditions, and situations once you develop the strategizes that work for you. In other words, it is empowering to know you can respond differently than you have in the past and change dysfunctional thoughts, patterns, and reactions.
When looking for help from a qualified therapist, ask if they are familiar with the use of CBT to treat anxiety and mood disorders.
