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How to Catch Your Brain Tricking You

Changing Your Thinking Habits
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Have you ever had one of those days where one small thing goes wrong, and suddenly your brain tells you that the whole day is ruined? Maybe you get one bad grade on a quiz and immediately think, “I’m going to fail this entire class.“ Or perhaps a friend seems quiet, and you jump to the conclusion, “They must be mad at me.“

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. We all have moments where our thinking habits get a little unhelpful. The good news is that you can learn to catch these thoughts before they make you feel anxious or upset. It’s like becoming a detective for your own brain.

The first step is to simply notice what you’re thinking. This might sound easy, but these thoughts are often so quick and automatic that we don’t even realize they happened. They just leave behind a bad feeling. So, the next time you feel a sudden wave of worry or frustration, pause for a second. Ask yourself, “What was just going through my head?“ You might be surprised by what you find.

One of the most common tricks our brains play is called “blowing things up.“ This is when we take a small problem and make it seem like a huge disaster. For example, if you trip in the hallway, a blown-up thought might be, “Now everyone is laughing at me and thinks I’m a total klutz.“ The truth is, most people probably didn’t even notice, and they definitely forgot about it two seconds later.

Another tricky thought habit is deciding how things will turn out, and it’s always bad. This is like being a fortune teller who only predicts doom. You might think, “I’m going to be so nervous at the party that I won’t have any fun.“ But you haven’t even gone yet! You’re predicting the future and making yourself feel bad about something that hasn’t happened.

A third common habit is thinking in strict “always” or “never” statements. If you make a mistake, you might tell yourself, “I always mess things up.“ But that’s not true. Everyone makes mistakes sometimes, and you also do plenty of things right.

Catching these thoughts is the most important part. When you notice one, you don’t have to get mad at yourself. Just say to yourself, “Ah, there’s one of those unhelpful thoughts again.“ By noticing it, you take away its power. You are no longer just believing the thought; you are looking at it. And once you see it clearly, you can challenge it. Is that thought really true? What’s a more likely, kinder, or more realistic way to see the situation?

It takes practice, like learning a new skill in a sport or an instrument. But every time you catch one of these tricky thoughts, you are training your brain. You are building a new habit of thinking that is more helpful and a lot less anxious. You are learning to be the boss of your own brain, and that is a very powerful thing to know how to do.

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Quick Tips

How can I tell if a thought is unhelpful or just realistic?

An unhelpful thought often makes you feel worse without offering a real solution. It’s like a critic that only points out the bad. A realistic thought looks at the whole picture, including the good stuff. Ask yourself: “Is this thought helping me or hurting me?“ If it’s making you feel overwhelmed, scared, or stuck, it’s probably unhelpful. Realistic thoughts are balanced and fair, while unhelpful ones tend to focus only on the worst possible outcome.

What is “all-or-nothing” thinking?

This is when you see things in black and white, with no middle ground. For example, if you make one mistake, you might think, “I’m a total failure.“ Or, if a situation isn’t perfect, you see it as a complete disaster. It’s a harsh and unfair way to judge yourself and the world. Life is usually full of gray areas and “good enough” moments. Catching this habit helps you be kinder to yourself and see the partial successes, not just the total wins or losses.

How can I start catching these thoughts in my daily life?

The easiest way to start is to pause for a moment when you feel a sudden wave of worry or sadness. Gently ask yourself, “What was just going through my mind?“ Write the thought down if you can. Seeing it on paper helps you look at it more objectively. You can then ask, “Is this 100% true?“ or “Is there another way to see this?“ This simple practice of noticing and questioning your thoughts is like building a mental muscle that helps you feel more in control.

What does “catastrophizing” mean, and what does it look like?

Catastrophizing is when your mind jumps to the worst-case scenario right away. It’s like assuming you’ll fail a test because you missed one question, or thinking a friend is angry with you forever because they didn’t text back. You’re blowing things way out of proportion. It feels like you’re preparing for disaster, but you’re just making yourself worry more. The first step to stopping it is to notice when you’re making a small problem into a huge catastrophe in your mind.

What are unhelpful thinking habits, and why should I care?

Think of your brain as a radio station. Sometimes, it plays a station full of negative news that makes you feel anxious or sad. These are unhelpful thinking habits—the automatic, negative thoughts that pop into your head. Catching them is important because they often twist the truth. When you learn to identify them, you can change the channel. This helps you see situations more clearly and stops your feelings from being controlled by a negative story your mind is telling you.