{"id":2609,"date":"2017-10-17T13:58:13","date_gmt":"2017-10-17T13:58:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/screening.mhanational.org\/article\/stopping-stupid-thoughts\/"},"modified":"2026-01-23T12:20:53","modified_gmt":"2026-01-23T17:20:53","slug":"stopping-stupid-thoughts","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/screening.mhanational.org\/es\/content\/stopping-stupid-thoughts\/","title":{"rendered":"Detener los \u201cpensamientos est\u00fapidos\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

Of course, I messed this up. I always find a way to ruin things.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

He only complimented me to be polite. No one actually thinks that about me.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

She still hasn\u2019t replied to my message; she must be mad at me.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Thoughts like these are painful and can happen so quickly that you may never stop to question them. That\u2019s why we call them “stupid thoughts.” Known in psychology as \u201ccognitive distortions\u201d or “trampas mentales<\/a>,” these inaccurate or exaggerated thoughts can damage self-esteem, mood, and relationships with others. They can be extreme and frequent<\/a>, often contributing to anxiety and depression. It\u2019s hard to feel good when someone is saying mean things to you all the time\u2014especially when that person is you!<\/p>\n

Fortunately, with practice, you can address and change these thoughts. By noticing the negative things you say to yourself, you can choose nicer thoughts to replace them. Try this five-step exercise to replantear<\/strong> your negative thoughts.<\/p>\n

Descargar versi\u00f3n imprimible<\/a><\/div>\n

\u00a0<\/object><\/p>\n

Aqu\u00ed tienes una versi\u00f3n adaptada para la web de la actividad de la hoja de trabajo:<\/em><\/p>\n

Writing out your thoughts will help you to process and reinforce the thought change in a different way. Putting the words up where you need to see them helps provide visual reinforcement where and when you need it\u2014especially when it\u2019s hard for your brain to do it. Over time, the reframed thoughts will become more automatic.<\/p>\n

Materials:<\/h2>\n
    \n
  • Post-it notes, OR<\/li>\n
  • Construction paper, scissors, markers, and tape.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Instructions:<\/h2>\n
      \n
    1. Identify the negative thought. Use the list on the back
      \nof this page to identify your most common thinking traps\u00a0(cognitive distortions).<\/li>\n
    2. Use a post-it note, or cut out the shapes below on
      \ncolorful construction paper. Write the thought on one
      \nside of the cut-out (or the sticky side of the post-it
      \nnote).<\/li>\n
    3. Identify a corresponding compassionate thought.
      \nMaybe think of what you would say to a friend who was
      \nhaving the same thought.<\/li>\n
    4. Write the compassionate thought on the other side
      \nof the cut-out (or the non-sticky side of the post-it
      \nnote).<\/li>\n
    5. Tape or stick the compassionate (reframed) thoughts
      \nwhere you need to see them most \u2013 by your bed, in the
      \nbathroom, on your desk, or in your car!<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Common thinking traps:<\/h2>\n
        \n
      • “All or nothing” thinking:<\/strong> You see things black or white, good or bad, all or none. There is no gray area\u2014just the extremes. It has to be perfect or else you\u2019re a failure. Example: \u201cI\u2019m always a horrible mother.\u201d \u201cI\u2019m never going to get it together.\u201d<\/li>\n
      • Overgeneralization:<\/strong> Taking a single event and making sweeping conclusions. Example: \u201cMy best friend is mad at me. I\u2019m sure she doesn\u2019t want to be friends ever again.\u201d<\/li>\n
      • Negative mental filter:<\/strong> You pick out a single negative detail and dwell on it, ignoring all the positive or neutral things that might have happened. Example: \u201cIt was such an important meeting. Why did I make that stupid statement? I\u2019m such an idiot.\u201d<\/li>\n
      • Discounting the positive:<\/strong> You ignore when good things happen by insisting they \u201cdon\u2019t count\u201d because there were other circumstances. This allows your brain to stay in a pattern of negative thinking. Example: \u201cNo one will ever love me.\u201d \u201cWe love you.\u201d \u201cNo, you don\u2019t understand. No one will ever love me.\u201d<\/li>\n
      • Jumping to conclusions:<\/strong> You assume that something bad will happen or that someone will have negative feelings toward you, even though you don\u2019t have any evidence to support that thought. Example: \u201cMy boss must be mad at me for being late. I\u2019m not going to bother talking to him because he won\u2019t believe my excuse.\u201d<\/li>\n
      • Mind reading:<\/strong> You assign negative thoughts and feelings to other people, even when there are other logical explanations for what happened. Example: \u201cMy neighbor rushed by me and didn\u2019t even acknowledge me. I must have done something wrong.\u201d<\/li>\n
      • Fortune Telling:<\/strong> You assume that things are going to turn out badly and treat negative outcomes as eventualities, not possibilities. Example: \u201cI submitted my application, but I already know they won\u2019t call me back for an interview.\u201d<\/li>\n
      • Catastrophizing<\/strong> is when you exaggerate the importance of things that you do (like making a mistake at work) or that someone else does (that someone got a better office than you). Example: \u201cWhy did I use that word in that email? I\u2019m sure I\u2019m going to get fired.\u201d<\/li>\n
      • Minimizing<\/strong> is the opposite; it\u2019s when you discount the importance of something that\u2019s actually really important. Example: \u201cYeah I got a raise, but it\u2019s not big deal. I\u2019m not even sure why they gave it to me.\u201d<\/li>\n
      • Emotional reasoning:<\/strong> You assume that just because you felt something, it\u2019s true; it\u2019s like relying too strongly on
        \nyour gut instinct. Example: \u201cI feel like crap, so I\u2019m probably a crappy person.\u201d<\/li>\n
      • Should statements:<\/strong> You focus on how things should have gone or should have been rather than how they actually are. When you direct “should statements” toward others, you can feel anger, frustration, and resentment. Examples: \u201cI should really exercise more. I\u2019m so gross.\u201d or \u201cMy brother should have talked to me before he made any decisions about where our family is going. He\u2019s so inconsiderate.\u201d<\/li>\n
      • Labeling:<\/strong> This is an extreme form of overgeneralization. You take a situation (a one-time event, misunderstanding or accident) and you determine it must be about your character or their character. Examples: \u201cThey didn\u2019t like me: I\u2019m a huge nobody.\u201d or \u201cThat guy cut me off. He\u2019s obviously a jerk.\u201d<\/li>\n
      • Personalization:<\/strong> You take on responsibility for negative events, ignoring how other people or factors may have contributed. Example: \u201cOur relationship ended because I was a bad partner.\u201d<\/li>\n
      • Blaming:<\/strong> The opposite of personalization. You lay blame entirely on other people, without thinking about where you may have gone wrong or how you could have changed a situation. Example: \u201cOur project is slowed down because they never made a point to contact me. This is all their fault.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        Hoja de trabajo para ayudarte a comprender de d\u00f3nde provienen los pensamientos negativos y qu\u00e9 hacer al respecto.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":2610,"template":"","age_group":[23,100],"condition":[90,83,86,87],"class_list":["post-2609","article","type-article","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","age_group-11-17","age_group-over-18","condition-addiction","condition-anxiety","condition-depression","condition-eating-disorder"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"Stopping "Stupid Thoughts"<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/screening.mhanational.org\/es\/content\/stopping-stupid-thoughts\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"es_MX\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Stopping "Stupid Thoughts"\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" 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