1. Changing Negative Thoughts to Positive Ones
Working on changing negative thoughts to positive ones can help you to feel much better. You can do it along with any other treatment.
August, 2002
Developed by Mary Ellen Copeland PO Box 301, West Dummerston, VT

2. Focus on this work may be more intense at some times and informal at other times, depending on your need and what feels right to you. You may need a break from this work from time to time.
If you work too hard at it you may get “burned out” or lose interest.
August, 2002
Developed by Mary Ellen Copeland PO Box 301, West Dummerston, VT

3. The Depression Workbook by Mary Ellen Copeland
While the direction and support of a counselor may help, you can do this work safely and effectively on your own, using books like:
The Depression Workbook by Mary Ellen Copeland
Thoughts and Feelings by Matthew McKay, Ph.D., Martha Davis, Ph.D., and Patrick Fanning The Feeling Good Handbook by David Burns, M.D.
Feeling Good by David Burns, M.D.
You can use a notebook or your journal for the exercises and to keep records of progress. You could also use a tape recorder to do this work.
August, 2002
Developed by Mary Ellen Copeland PO Box 301, West Dummerston, VT

4. What are Negative Thoughts?
Negative thoughts are unkind things we tell ourselves about ourselves.
They may be shortcuts for trying to say something else like saying “I am a jerk” instead of “I have trouble with math.”
You tend to believe them even if they don’t make any sense.
You may say them quickly to yourself without really thinking about what you are saying.
They may include words like should, ought, or must.
They tend to see the worst in everything.
Negative thoughts differ from person to person.
It takes effort to stop yourself from having these thoughts.
August, 2002
Developed by Mary Ellen Copeland PO Box 301, West Dummerston, VT

5. Examples of common negative thoughts include:
“I will never have a job”
“I could never further my education”
“No one would ever hire me”
“I will never feel well again”
“I will never meet my life goals”
“I am stupid”
“I can't do anything right”
“I am a complete failure”
“I mess up everything”
“No one would ever love (or like) me”
“I don't deserve to be alive”
“I will never accomplish anything worthwhile”
“I will never be good enough”
“I am a jerk”
“I am a loser”
August, 2002
Developed by Mary Ellen Copeland PO Box 301, West Dummerston, VT

6. Make a list of your negative thoughts.
You can easily do this by yourself. Most people do.
Keep a small notebook with you and whenever you notice you are having a negative thought, jot it down. Do this for several days.
Especially try to notice your thoughts when you are in stressful situations, like when you are tired or in certain work situations.
You could do this with your counselor or another supporter.
August, 2002
Developed by Mary Ellen Copeland PO Box 301, West Dummerston, VT

7. Often looking at the thought in a new way helps to get rid of it.
Asking yourself the following questions about each thought may help you to see things differently:
Is it really true?
Would a nice person say this to someone else?
Do the words really fit the situation?
What do you get out of saying this to yourself?
Ask someone who likes you if this thought is really true.
Are you really looking at the whole situation? Continued
August, 2002
Developed by Mary Ellen Copeland PO Box 301, West Dummerston, VT

8. Are you really seeing the whole picture or just the extremes?
Is there something else you could say to yourself that would help you feel better instead of worse?
Are you really seeing the whole picture or just the extremes?
Are you making assumptions about what others feel?
Do you really know enough about the situation to make this state ment to yourself?
Are you expecting the worst to happen?
Do you always need to prove to others that you are right, even when you realize you are wrong?
Do you believe you have to be perfect and never make mistakes? Continued
August, 2002
Developed by Mary Ellen Copeland PO Box 301, West Dummerston, VT

9. Do you feel like you have to control everything?
Are you relating everything to yourself and always comparing yourself to others?
Do you feel that others are always in control and you don’t have any control?
Do you feel like you have to control everything?
Do you think that everything always has to be fair?
Do you believe that everything you feel is true?
Do you think that you would be really happy if only others would change?
Do you blame others for everything?
Do you have a lot of “shoulds” that you could let go of?
August, 2002
Developed by Mary Ellen Copeland PO Box 301, West Dummerston, VT

10. Develop positive things to say to yourself that refute your negative thoughts. When you are doing this:
Avoid negative words such as worried, frightened, upset, tired, bored, not, never, can't
Use only positive words like happy, peaceful, loving, warm enthusiastic
Substitute “it would be nice if” for “should”
Always use the present tense, e.g., “I am healthy, I am well, I am happy, I have a good job,” as if the condition already exists
Use I, me or your own name
August, 2002
Developed by Mary Ellen Copeland PO Box 301, West Dummerston, VT

11. Examples of positive things you could say to yourself instead of the negative thought:
Negative Thought: I will never hold down a job Positive Thought: I can hold down a job
Negative Thought: I will never be well Positive Thought: I am well
Negative Thought: I am not worth anything Positive Thought: I am a valuable person
Negative Thought: I have never accomplished anything Positive Thought: I have accomplished many things
Negative Thought: It is not OK to make mistakes Positive Thought: It is OK to make mistakes
Negative Thought: I want to die Positive Thought: I choose life
Negative Thought: I will never be able to take care of myself Positive Thought: I take care of myself
."
August, 2002
Developed by Mary Ellen Copeland PO Box 301, West Dummerston, VT

12. You can help change your negative thoughts to positive ones by:
Writing the positive rebuttals over and over
Repeatedly thinking them to yourself
Repeating them to yourself aloud
Repeating them:
When you are doing a relaxation exercise
Before you go to sleep
When doing the dishes and other chores,
When you are waiting in traffic, or for appointments
August, 2002
Developed by Mary Ellen Copeland PO Box 301, West Dummerston, VT

13. Use creative activities, like visualizations, lists, and signs hung around your home or in your workspace to remind yourself of positive thoughts.
Negative thoughts have often become so familiar to us that change takes continuous work, and creativity. It often takes several weeks to several months to effectively change the negative thought to a positive one.
August, 2002
Developed by Mary Ellen Copeland PO Box 301, West Dummerston, VT