Thoughts and Their Impact on Mental Health

June 10 - Written By: Leah Whatley, LPC-A

People have thousands of thoughts a day, and those reflections can be composed of positive and negative thoughts that impact our daily functioning. Individuals’ thoughts, emotions, and behaviors are greatly interconnected, and understanding how they impact each other can assist with one’s mental, physical, and emotional health. With all of these elements connecting, all it takes is one negative thought to change our emotions and behaviors, which is why it is important to know how to identify a negative thought and work towards creating healthy thought patterns to maintain a healthy mental well-being. By the end of this discussion, readers should be better equipped to understand the impact that thoughts have on one’s mental health, identify unhealthy thought patterns, and improve positive thoughts.

The Impact of Thoughts on Mental, Physical, and Emotional Health

Thoughts play a crucial role in mental, physical, and emotional health, as they influence an individual’s beliefs, behaviors, and perceptions of different situations. In the 1960s, Dr. Aaron Beck understood the impact that thoughts, emotions, and behaviors had on each other, which led him to create Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and the CBT Triangle. This triangle helps individuals see the interconnections that happen between these three elements and is a beneficial tool to help others see how an event can influence our thoughts, behaviors, and actions, as well as take control of their mental health by breaking unhealthy negative cycles. Here is the Cognitive or CBT Triangle, and let’s try to practice utilizing it. How you can practice this is by identifying a situation, then labeling the three corners with what your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors would be. Next, analyze how each element is impacting the others, and work on challenging and/or reframing to change the unhealthy pattern.

Below is an example to show how individuals can utilize this tool to take control of their mental health and to work on creating healthy thought patterns. 

With this in mind, understanding how to utilize this tool can be essential in working towards healthier mental, physical, and emotional health. Negative thoughts can have a significant impact on overall well-being. They may affect mental health by increasing stress, anxiety, and other emotional challenges, which can lower quality of life. These thoughts can also contribute to physical health issues, such as fatigue, sleep concerns, or other stress-related symptoms. As mental and physical health are affected, emotional regulation may become more difficult, further influencing emotional well-being. Because mental, emotional, and physical health are closely interconnected, difficulties in one area often affect the others. This interconnectedness reflects the relationship between our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Learning about negative thoughts and learning skills to manage them is imperative to creating a better life quality and healthy mental, emotional, and physical health.

Cognitive Distortions

Negative thoughts are very common in daily life, and most of the thoughts are repetitive, which can negatively impact an individual even more. Learning about several different types of negative thoughts and understanding how to identify them can help individuals work towards challenging or reframing these thoughts, which can assist with decreasing negative patterns. In the 1980s, Dr. David Burns was inspired by Dr. Aaron Beck and wrote a book titled Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy, which talks about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or CBT concepts, cognitive distortions or negative thought patterns, how negative thoughts impact people, and how people can apply this information, as well as work towards managing these unhealthy patterns. Using his concepts, Burns identified ten main cognitive distortions or unhealthy thinking errors: all-or-nothing thinking, overgeneralization, mental filter, discounting the positive, jumping to conclusions, magnification/minimization, emotional reasoning, “should” statements, labeling and mislabeling, and lastly, personalization and blame. Below are the 10 cognitive distortions and their definitions. 

Looking at this chart, are there some thought patterns that you recognize? Learning how to identify these cognitive distortions should help individuals become aware of unhealthy thought patterns and help them with utilizing strategies to improve their positive thoughts.

Strategies to Improve Positive Thoughts

Positivity has shown multiple benefits, including improved physical health, mental well-being, and emotional health. (Rosenfeld, 2019) Positive thinking is immensely important when working towards a healthy mental well-being and is a large part of managing stressors. Depending on how we grew up and our environment, our thought patterns may lean toward either more negative or more positive. Regardless of which one you learn towards, you can still alter your thinking patterns and work towards a healthy state of mind with different strategies. After learning a couple of cognitive distortions and learning how to identify them, the next step is to be able to utilize different techniques that can improve your mental health and decrease negative thoughts. 

One technique that was mentioned earlier is to challenge and/or reframe negative thoughts. With this skill, you have to first identify the cognitive distortion and identify what kind it is. An example of a cognitive distortion would be, “My friend said I was a good person… they must be saying that to be nice and they don’t really mean it.” After this thought appears, pause and understand that this is a cognitive distortion. To identify it, readers can look at the chart above for the ten common ones created by Burns or look up cognitive distortions, and a list of them should appear. This example is discounting the positive, and most people struggle with this negative thought pattern. Once you’ve identified that this is an unhealthy thought process, we can take a step back and challenge it, then reframe the negative thought. There are many ways to challenge and reframe cognitive distortions, but this discussion is going to focus on a basic way. Looking back at the example, “my friend said I was a good person… they must be saying that to be nice, and they don’t really mean it.”, lets work on challenging and reframing it. With this thought, ask yourself a couple of questions to challenge it. 

1. Is there any evidence that this thought is true? 

2. What makes me think this thought is true? 

3. Is this thought realistic? 

4. What is the worst-case scenario if this thought is true? 

   • What is a more realistic scenario if this thought is true? 

5. What is another way to look at this thought? 

6. What could happen if I changed my thought process? 

7. What would a friend or family member say if I told them this negative thought?

After challenging the cognitive distortion with some of these questions, you can work on reframing it as well. Below are some ways that one can reframe this cognitive distortion. Example: “My friend said I was a good person… they must be saying that to be nice and they don’t really mean it.” 

1. This is a sweet friend, and I know they don’t have a hidden agenda, so I should take their compliment instead of assuming they are lying to me or pitying me. 

2. I have had several people say that I am a good person or friend, so maybe I should see that others see this characteristic in me instead of thinking that I am not a good person.

3. Instead of thinking to the extreme that I am not a good person, I should focus on a middle ground, like I may not think I am a good person, but I am working towards being a better person. 

4. My friend’s perspective counts, even if I think differently from them about myself.

5. If this friend said this about themself, what would I tell them? 

There are many other ways to challenge and reframe your thoughts, but a good way to practice it is to focus on a positive outlook. 

Other skills to work towards decreasing negative thoughts are to work towards becoming more optimistic and engaging in more positive thinking patterns. This can include seeing the glass half full instead of half empty, assessing and reflecting on your thinking patterns throughout the day, surrounding yourself with positive outlets, practicing positive self-talk, working on gratitude, and many more. Thinking positively can help us cope with stressors more, as well as improve our mental health. Below are some basic ways that you can start practicing positive thinking patterns to improve your mental, physical, and emotional health. 

1. Surrounding yourself with positivity 

   • Whether it is people who make you smile and bring out the best in you, or different environments that make you focus on the positive instead of the negative, who and what you surround yourself with will greatly impact your positivity and outlook on life. 

2. Practicing mindfulness and gratitude 

   • Acknowledging things, either small or big, that make you happy or that you are grateful for can shift your focus to a more positive perspective.

   • Exercising, yoga, meditation, and other practices that help ground you can boost healthy habits and your positivity. 

3. Assessing and reflecting on your thought processes 

   • This idea was addressed above when identifying cognitive distortions and unhealthy thought patterns. It can be helpful to assess your thought processes and reflect on how you can work towards changing unhealthy patterns. 

4. Positive self-talk 

   • Challenging or reframing any negative thoughts that come up about yourself with the above challenging questions can help boost your self-esteem and change your self-talk. 

   • Utilizing targeted affirmations and focusing on positive things about yourself. There are many more ways to improve one’s positivity, but these are some techniques that you can start with. 

Closing Thoughts

To end, as humans, we have thousands of thoughts a day, and they can greatly impact our mental, physical, and emotional health. By understanding how thoughts can impact our daily functioning and life quality, identifying negative thought patterns or cognitive distortions, and working towards changing our unhealthy thought patterns to a more positive way, we can improve our mental health. I hope this discussion was beneficial and assisted in showing you the importance of having healthy thought patterns. If you or someone you know is greatly struggling with their thoughts, whether it be anxious thoughts, depressive thoughts, intrusive thoughts, or another unhealthy thought pattern, multiple talented therapists can help provide more techniques and strategies. Our team at Endeavor Counseling Associates is ready to help and would love to provide more techniques and strategies for your needs. 

References

Burns, D. D. (1980). Feeling good: The new mood therapy. Signet Books. 

Parsamanesh, P., & Vysochyn, M. (2024). A psychological exploration of the power of our mindset and its influence on physiological health. Cureus, 16(1), e52505. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.52505

Rosenfeld, A. J. (2019). The neuroscience of happiness and well-being. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 28(2), 137–146. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chc.2018.11.002

Shafir, H. (2021, November 10). CBT for anxiety: How it works & examples. Choosing Therapy. https://www.choosingtherapy.com/cbt-for-anxiety/

What is cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) based trauma therapy? (2024). Exhale Psychology Centre Brisbane. 

https://www.exhalepsychology.com.au/therapy/what-is-cognitive-behaviour-therapy-cbt-based-trauma-therapy

From Frazzled to Functional

A Practical Guide to Burnout Recovery

May 28 - Written By: Katie McClure, LPC-A

Burnout isn’t just stress. Discover common symptoms, causes, and therapist-backed strategies to help you recharge and restore balance in your life! 

It is all too often that we hear the phrases, “Gosh, I’m so burnt out today” or “I just have to recharge my batteries”. How do we respond? Well, in many different ways. You may take the day off or have a ‘spa night’. You might also push through the exhaustion. You might even add more to your (very full) plate. Maybe the break brought you some relaxation. Maybe distracting yourself helped you to forget that icky feeling. The problem is that the relief is only temporary. The good news is burnout is totally normal! Whether it’s your parent, friend, coworker, or neighbor, someone you know has experienced burnout too. Burnout is a condition of the human journey and a result of unmanaged, chronic stress. Managing our stress isn’t always easy, especially with a complex set of human emotions and experiences. In this burnout blog post, I’d like to bring attention to warning signs, symptoms, causes, recognizing different phases of burnout, strategies, and treatment. Being burnt out is never easy nor fun. I think it is important to bring awareness to the burnout epidemic and equip ourselves with practical tools to address it. With that being said, welcome to Burnout  101! 

So, what is burnout?  

Burnout can be defined by a state of mental, emotional, and physical exhaustion as a result of prolonged stress. In lighter terms, it’s feeling really freaking tired as a whole person. Common onsets of burnout and chronic stress can be work stress, excessive working, lack of support, lack of enjoyment, and many more. There isn’t just ‘one thing’ that can create burnout, but it is more likely to occur when someone is experiencing multiple stressors.  

How can I tell if myself or someone I know is experiencing burnout? 

Well, I’m so glad you asked! The short answer: there are many ways to tell if you or someone you know is experiencing burnout. Now, let’s get to the details.  

Warning Signs: 

• Persistent exhaustion 

• Increased cynicism or negativity 

• Small tasks feel overwhelming 

• Decreased empathy  

• Avoidance  

Physical Symptoms: 

• Chronic fatigue 

• Problems with sleep 

• Headaches 

• GI issues 

• Muscle tension 

Internal Experiences/Symptoms:  

• Feelings of helplessness 

• Negative self-talk 

• Emotional detachment 

• Reduced/lack of motivation 

Burnout can look different for everyone, but these are just a few common things to look for. 

Another way to detect burnout is our behavior. Everyone’s response to burnout is unique to them,  but there are general themes. The most common behavioral patterns are procrastination and a decline in performance. You may notice decreased productivity or difficulty completing tasks.  Social withdrawal and irritability are also examples of behavioral patterns associated with burnout.  

There are a variety of warning signs and symptoms associated with burnout. It can appear as exhaustion, anxiety, headaches, or even irritability. The point is, not everyone experiences burnout the same way. Exploring mental experiences, behavioral responses, and body awareness can help you to notice how burnout may show up for you.  

5 Stages of Burnout  

You can use this guide to get a better idea of what stage of burnout you might be experiencing and some practical tools to apply!  

Stage 1: Honeymoon Phase 

• Signs: job satisfaction, responsibility, sustained energy, optimism, commitment, high-level productivity, creativity, etc.

• Tools: recharging and relaxing (i.e., reading, breathing techniques, exercise)

Stage 2: Onset of Stress 

• Signs: difficulty concentrating, anxiety, fatigue, headache, reduced social interactions,  personal neglect, decreased productivity, etc.  

• Tools: positive coping strategies (i.e., set boundaries, talking to support system, leisure  activities)  

Stage 3: Chronic Stress

• Signs: persistent fatigue, procrastination, resentment, social withdrawal, denial, pressure,  substance abuse, aggression, cynicism 

• Tools: build a self-care routine (i.e., exercise, meditation, sleep hygiene, vacation, lifestyle  adjustments)  

Stage 4: Burnout 

• Signs: obsession with problems, physical symptoms, self-doubt, social isolation, neglect of  needs, escapism, behavioral changes 

• Tools: seek professional help 

Stage 5: Habitual Burnout 

• Signs: chronic sadness, chronic mental fatigue, chronic physical fatigue, depression

• Tools: seek professional help, build a self-care routine, and take a vacation/break 

Why does burnout happen?  

There isn’t just one reason as to why burnout occurs; it can be a variety of factors working together.  However, the relationship between our workload, stress, and burnout can give us some helpful information. These three factors are directly correlated. 

In short, if one factor increases, all the factors can increase. Vice versa.  

Now, there are many contextual domains that can impact any of the factors above. Here are a few: 

• Perceived lack of control: lacking accessibility/autonomy can increase stress/decrease  productivity 

• Reward: lack of incentive and motivation can increase workload/decrease productivity - Community: lack of support and fulfilling relationships can increase stress/decrease  productivity 

• Fairness: lack of equitable treatment can increase stress/decrease productivity - Values: lack of fulfillment can decrease productivity/increase stress 

It is important to take a broad look at the contextual factors of your life when assessing for burnout.  It is helpful to notice what things are contributing to the relationship between workload, burnout,  and stress. 

Burnout Fake News  

Myth #1: Burnout = Stress 

The most common misconception I hear about burnout is that it is just stress. While I wish it were that simple, that just isn’t the case. Here is the truth about burnout and stress: they directly impact one another. Burnout is the result of neglecting stress, allowing it to become chronic stress. When stress goes up, burnout goes up. Remember?  

Myth #2: Burnout only shows up at work 

Another misconception related to burnout is that it is only associated with working. While burnout is heavily associated with excessive work, it can show up in any aspect of life. Being a parent or caregiver is an extremely demanding task. Parents have some of the largest workloads of us all,  which is directly correlated to burnout. Many of us also suffer from overcommitting our personal lives, which promotes burnout. All in all, burnout shows up everywhere.  

Myth #3: Fixing burnout just requires willpower

“Just get over it”, “don’t be a baby”, “one more hour”, “just work harder”. I hear these phrases all too often. Many people believe that just “pushing through” the burnout will get them to the other side.  Chronic stress impacts the stress-response system. In simpler terms, your body and brain believe that any stressor is an emergent threat. Sucking it up just isn’t going to work in this case. Burnout must be addressed by more meaningful and deeper strategies.  

Practical Tips to Address Burnout 

Acknowledge 

• Accept that you’re burnt out and that it is not a sign of weakness 

• Give yourself credit for what you have been able to do  

Set Boundaries 

• Say “not now” to things that don’t HAVE to be completed 

• Small limits (microbreaks before tasks, timers, etc.) 

• Work/life boundaries (set work start/stop times and stick to them) 

• Reduce screen time/overwhelming media 

Realistic Breaks and Rest 

• Deep breathing or calming music during daily tasks (dishes, laundry, shower, driving,  cooking) 

• 1-2min quiet time before starting something  

• Stretching  

• Replace doomscrolling with positive podcast/ebook  

Prioritize Self-Care 

• Build free time into routine 

• Identify and let go of nonessential tasks 

• Bare minimum (drinking water, unclench jaw, relax shoulders) 

• Give yourself some grace  

Seek Support 

• Support system 

• Seek mental health professional 

• Local or online support groups  

Burnout isn’t linear. It is important to notice how burnout is showing up and ways to address it. If you are experiencing chronic stress or burnout, I recommend seeking support. If professional help 

isn’t accessible, talking to a friend or an online  

support group are ways to feel supported  

through burnout.  

How can therapy help you with burnout?  

Therapy can be a powerful support for someone experiencing burnout. Therapy can offer a safe space to slow down and understand what is driving the overwhelming fatigue. It can also help you identify patterns of perfectionism, overcompensation, or avoidance that may be prolonging burnout. A therapist can work with you to develop strategies that support meaningful change and long-term well-being.  

This guide’s purpose is to provide education and resources related to burnout, and I hope it has left you feeling empowered. Burnout doesn’t mean you failed; it is often a signal that you need support. By investing in these skills and treatment, we can move from simply pushing through to making intentional choices that restore our sense of self.