More Easy DIY CBT

Our brains tend to use our current emotions and thoughts to predict our future emotions and thoughts.

Example

“I feel overwhelmed and unable to cope now”

Your brain’s prediction

– I will continue to feel overwhelmed and unable to cope > I will forever feel overwhelmed and unable to cope”.

But it ain’t necessarily so.

Is there disconfirming evidence?

e.g.

– Have there been times in the past when you have felt hopeful or confident?
– The basic fact that thoughts and emotions are transitory. They come and go rather than being permanent.
– The trigger for your current feelings will change e.g. if you are overtired, you will not be overtired forever. If you are jangled up from the Christchurch aftershocks, these will not continue forever. If you are doing a difficult task, that task will not continue forever.

The Other Side of the Coin

This anchoring bias can also lead to overly optimistic predictions…

Example –

“I am head over heels in love with this guy/girl”

Brain uses current thoughts and feelings to predict future thoughts and feelings:

“I will be head over heels in love with this guy/girl forever”