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A very good addition to this app would be the vertical arrow technique outlined in David Burns book. It's basically when you drill down a thought by asking "wha
by superasn 8y ago
A very good addition to this app would be the vertical arrow technique outlined in David Burns book. It's basically when you drill down a thought by asking "what if it is true" and then write the distortion for every thought in sequence.
I missed George's birthday
> what if it is true
George must hate me
> what if it is true
Everyone who knows George will hate me too
> what if it is true
I will become a social pariah
> what if it is true
i should have been more careful
> what if it is true
I'm not a good person
> what if it is true
...
this really helps you get to the root of your automatic negative thoughts (or ants) quickly
- wodenokoto 8y agoReally? That example looks more like a way to pile guilt on yourself.
- epaga 8y agoThe point is that it helps you get to the root cause of your “automatic thoughts” by discovering the false thought driving them. Replacing that one is usually far more effective than replacing “surface” ones.
- superasn 8y agoYes people who are depressed can think like this and such illogical thoughts may sound true when you're feeling down compounding the sadness. This exercise helps you rip apart each such illogical thought and shows you how irrational and illogical you're mind is being thereby undoing the illogical connections the mind is making
- zaphirplane 8y agoThat chain doesn’t seem too illogical, maybe George is influential within the group and took offense This example doesn’t help sell the technique
- superasn 8y agoMaybe but no matter how important George is.. the connection from missing George's birthday to I'm not a good person is super illogical in every scenario.. yet somebody who is depressed can make that connection and that's what the technique helps to see and fix