Help them see the big picture. Remind them that it's not always about them. Psychotherapist Katie Hurley, author of No More Mean Girls, suggests an exercise she calls “Flip It.” Ask your child to express negative thinking, such as: “I'm bad at math,” and to verbally express how that thought feels, such as frustrating or embarrassing. Fagell is the counselor at the Sheridan School in Washington, D.C., and the author of Middle School Matters (Da Capo Press, forthcoming in 2011).
He writes columns on parenting and education for the Washington Post. For parents, the idea isn't to stifle negative thinking. Research has found that trying to stop thinking can actually make the idea more sticky. Rather, you want your child to confront the idea, examine it closely, and replace it with a more realistic and useful perspective.
Fortunately, there are effective methods you can use to help you leave negative thoughts behind and adopt a more positive mindset. Here are 6 tips for overcoming negative thoughts. Regular exercise can have a profound positive impact on physical and mental health. One benefit of exercise is that it can help relieve internal tension and worries.
To get rid of negative thoughts, try to spend 15 minutes a day writing down your thought process. This can help you identify how your thoughts are distorted. Some negative thoughts come from within you. Anxiety and low self-esteem are common in people with ADHD.
You might worry that you're not good enough or that you'll fail. Negativity also comes from outside: from parents and others who criticize you for behaviors you can't control. Here are some strategies for transforming negative thoughts into positive ones and, in the process, increasing your self-esteem.
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