The human mind is wonderfully complex, capable of constantly creating thoughts and perceptions about reality that surrounds us. However, sometimes those thoughts can become a source of distress and discomfort. Have you ever felt trapped in an endless cycle of negative thoughts? If so, don’t feel like a weirdo, it’s something as human as breathing. Fortunately, the cognitive therapy offers effective tools to challenge and change those thought patterns. One of the most used is the downward arrow technique.
The down arrow was developed by David Burns and Aaron Beck in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Based on the studies and publications of Beck, recognized as the main founder of cognitive therapy, Numerous scientific investigations have shown that the downward arrow is an effective technique for treatment of anxiety and depression.
What does this technique consist of?
The downward arrow is a strategy that allows you to identify and challenge the basic beliefs that hold the negative automatic thoughts. A basic belief refers to a deep-rooted, fundamental idea about oneself, the world, or others that influences the way we perceive and process information. These basic beliefs are usually subconscious and can develop over time through our experiences, social interactions and learning. Some examples of core beliefs might be: “I’m not as smart as everyone else,” “Life is unfair and always will be,” or “Everything is destined to go wrong.”
How can we recognize these basic beliefs and reduce their interference in our daily lives? This is where the down arrow can help you:
1. First let’s identify the negative thought that is causing discomfort. For example, before speaking in public the thought might appear: “If I babble or make a mistake, they will laugh at me.”
2. Once the negative thought is identified, follow the arrow down to find the underlying basic belief that holds it. To do this, you start by asking one of the following questions: “If this thought were true, what would it mean?”, “What would be wrong with it?”, “What would happen or happen if…?” In this case, the responses that could appear would be: “They will think I am strange, they will not want to know anything about me, they will reject me.”
As we see, by applying the downward arrow we can identify the basic belief that has generated this train of thoughts. This core belief might be something like, “I have to do everything right so that others think well of me and don’t reject me.”
3. Once we are aware of this basic belief, the next step will be question it. To do this, we search evidence that challenges this belief and points towards a more moderate and objective perspective. In this case, we can ask ourselves questions such as: “Is it really true that I will be rejected whenever I make a mistake?”, “Is there evidence to support this statement?”
It is also useful to look for evidence contrary to this belief, for example, remembering other times when a mistake has been made and people have been understanding or have not shown rejection.
In summary, the downward arrow technique is a valuable and well-established tool in cognitive behavioral therapy for challenging and changing negative automatic thoughts. By learning to question the underlying beliefs that sustain these thoughts, we can cultivate a more balanced and realistic perspective, thereby promoting emotional and mental well-being.
The next time you find yourself stuck in a cycle of negative thoughts, try the downward arrow technique to discover the truth behind your beliefs!
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