Thoughts and anxiety
Identifying thinking biases
How do we identify our thinking biases?
Biased thinking, as we have seen, does not usually tell us how wonderful we are or how much we are trying. Biased thinking usually deals with how bad our future will be or how terrible other people are. As a result of these thoughts, our mood will change. We may feel fear, anger, sadness or other negative feelings.
To practice identifying thinking biases, notice changes in your emotions, even very small changes.
When you notice the change, ask yourself :
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What thought went through my head just now?
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What bad thing might happen?
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What am I worried about?
Remember : It takes time and practice to successfully identify specific thoughts that cause anxiety. For this reason, we recommend practice identifying biased thinking daily, when you are calm and not experiencing so much anxiety or stress. This exercise will enable you to identify biased thinking in real-time.