Types
What is an example of a Should Statement
"I should be better"
"I should be able to"
No matter how hard I try, I won't be good enough
I'll try my best, it's ok if I don't get everything right
He's a baby for crying
Labelling
I wonder what is bothering him, he might need help
Why are they automatic?
ANTs are only found outside
False: ANTs represent negative thoughts, they can pop up anywhere you are
What is an example of a Mind Reading ANT
"I know he hates me"
"He thinks I bad at sport"
"She doesn't like me"
They just don't want to be friends with me
It doesn't matter what they think, all I can do is be kind
She wants to control me
Mind reading
She cares about me, and is trying to show me by suggesting what I could do
Why are ANTs considered negative?
They focus on what stops us from doing what we want
ANTs can stop you from doing as well as you can
True: ANTs can make you feel insignificant, make you stuck and focus on things you can't really change
What is an example of a Magnifying ANT?
"I am the shortest person ever"
"I'm always going to be stuck at home"
"I'm never allowed to have ice cream"
They're always talking about me when I leave the room
I don't know what they're talking about, probably footy or something
I forgot my lunch, this is the worst day ever
Magnifying
"I might have to call someone to bring me some food"
How can you catch an ANT?
Is the thought helpful? Is it true? Has this thought been wrong before?
"I shouldn't have said that. Now they think I'm weird" is an ANT
True: a lot of Should/Shouldn't sentences are ANTs
What is Catastrophizing
Making a small problem seem like a hug disaster
You are either with me or against me
People aren't always going to agree, but we can still get along
He has to say sorry to me for bumping into me
Rules
He probably didn't even realise he bumped into me, it's ok
How can you replace the ANT?
Put a positive spin on a thought and consider the size of the problem
"I did my best" is an ANT
False: this statement is positively recognising you did what you could
What is a Fortune Telling ANT
"No one will want to talk to me"
"I won't get a good mark"
"There's no point, I'm going to lose anyway"
I tripped over in front of everyone, now they think I'm stupid
Oops that was silly, oh well, people barely noticed
My parents always fight, they will get a divorce
Prediction
Its normal for people to bicker sometimes, doesn't mean they don't love each other
How can you tell a thought isn't an ANT?
The thought is positive, focused on what you can control and supported by evidence
The more ANTs present the harder it is to do what we want to do