“I already messed up my plan by eating a piece of cake, so I might as well start my diet over again on Monday!” “I have a really bad headache. Could this be a brain tumor?!” “My coworker never says ...

These thoughts are good examples of cognitive distortions — also known as “thinking traps.” They can be easy to fall into and may not be rational. But irrational or not, thoughts affect how a person ...

Emotional self-harm refers to negative thoughts that damage someone’s self-esteem and mental health. This can manifest in overly critical self-talk or ruminating on past mistakes. Although the term ...

Repetitive negative thinking is a major element of psychological disorders. Clinically concerning levels of anxiety, depression, and anger all carry with them repetitive thoughts that serve to ...

**CONTENT WARNING** This story mentions the topic of abusive relationships. Sometimes, it’s hard to keep pushing yourself to accomplish something when it feels like you’ve struck out so many ...

Many people around the world suffer from depression. Though depression can be extremely debilitating, evidence-based treatments (like cognitive-behavioral therapy) provide hope, because they can be ...

Over the years, I have written about the positive impact of one word—the most powerful I have seen to date—that stops and overturns negative thoughts. I first learned about this amazing word at a ...

Research suggests that both less negative thinking and more positive thinking are beneficial for mental and emotional ...