What are Automatic Negative Thoughts (ANTs)?
The concept of Automatic Negative Thoughts, or ANTs, was first introduced by the father of cognitive therapy and CBT, Aaron Beck. ANTs are simply random, unhelpful thoughts you may have about yourself, your experiences, or your future.
The typology has evolved since Dr. Beck’s initial categories and today there are several commonly-recognized types of ANTs. These are summarised below:
All-or-Nothing Thinking — Also referred to as ‘black-and-white thinking’, this is a thought pattern where things are viewed in extremes, usually with only two options or outcomes. Words such as always, never, no one, everyone, every time, everything are commonly found in all-or-nothing thinking.
“We can’t get that part done in time. This is going to fail.”
Filtering, or Negative Focus — When your thoughts reflect only the negative parts of a situation and ignore any of the good aspects, you don’t allow yourself to feel a sense of accomplishment for what you’ve achieved. This can hold you back in a variety of ways.
“The thing I remember most about the trip was my mishap with the rental car.”
Fortune-telling — Predicting the worst possible outcome for any situation can often lead to fixating on that outcome, and may increase the probability of that outome occurring. For example, going into a conversation assuming that the other person won’t react positively will change the way you show up and how likely you are to notice and respond to the positive or cooperative aspects of what is taking place.
“Why should I show up with an open mind about this? I can tell it’s a no before I even sit down.”
Mind Reading — We may assume that we know what other people are thinking, without any actual input from them. This may be based on past interactions or our fears about what they might be thinking. A common example of this is interpreting silence as disapproval, when there may be many other possible (and more likely) interpretations to consider.
“She doesn’t like the idea because she hasn’t responded as quickly as she normally does.”
Emotional Reasoning — “Don’t always believe what you think” applies here. Also called ‘thinking with your feelings’, this pattern occurs when you believe your negative feelings and don’t question them. Just because something feels true doesn’t mean that it is. It’s just a feeling, not a fact.
“I’m feeling a bit anxious about this call, so it must be bad.”
Shoulding — “Shoulding on yourself” is when you you approach situations with should, must, ought, or have to. When we practice thoughtwork, we can replace our ‘shoulds’ with active choices which have compelling reasons behind them.
“I should help her move house on Saturday.” (obligation) becomes “I choose to help her move house because this is a great way I can show her how much I value our friendship by being there for her in a time of need.” (opportunity)
Labeling — Attaching a negative label to yourself or others short-circuits your ability to see the situation clearly. It’s a form of judgement that hinders decision-making and fair evaluation. In these situations, ask yourself what else might be going on here. Is the label the only explanation for the behavior?
“Oh, that’s an American thing. I was raised in a culture that acts that way, I can’t help it.”
Personalising — This is about thinking that the behaviour of others is related to or a reaction to you in some way. When you inbue circumstances with personal meaning, you’re assuming to know the reasons why someone has chosen to act a certain way. You may end up taking responsiblity for something that is not yours to fix or deal with. Personalising is also related to mind reading in this list.
“They didn’t sign up because they don’t like me.”
Overgeneralising — Reaching a general conclusion based on an event or single piece of evidence. If something happens once, don’t assume it will always be this way. Things can change; past behaviour is not always a predictor of future actions.
“The customer I talked to thinks it costs too much. Oh crap. All my customers must be thinking that.”
Getting Rid of ANTs
You may find that some types more challenging to deal with than others. Notice which ones are a particular challenge for you. And, when you’re ready, here’s a quick guide for dealing with them
