Negative automatic thoughts (NATs) are spontaneous, often fleeting thoughts that can cast a shadow over your mood and perceptions. They appear without conscious effort, typically as a response to certain triggers or situations, and often involve pessimistic or defeatist beliefs about yourself, others, or the future.
When NATs go unchecked, they can contribute to a range of mental health challenges, including anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. They can distort reality, leading you to focus on failures and minimise your successes. This skewed perspective can lead to a cycle of negative thinking, making situations seem worse than they actually are.
Understanding how to recognise and identify these thoughts can be really useful when wanting to improve how you feel, and help manage your Autism. Because NATs often arise without our immediate notice, it’s easy to accept them as truths without questioning their validity. By learning to recognise when NATs are present, you can begin to challenge and reframe them, reducing their power over your emotions and behaviours.
Recognising NATs involves paying close attention to your thought patterns and the triggers that might spark negative thinking. Become an observer of your own mind, noting when a thought doesn’t align with reality or is overly critical. This awareness can help you stop the thought right away, examine its truthfulness, and replace it with a more balanced perspective.
The ultimate goal in managing NATs is to reduce the frequency and intensity of these thoughts, making them less automatic and more within your control. This shift requires practice, patience, and sometimes, the support of mental health professionals who can provide strategies tailored to your specific needs.
Viewing situations in black and white categories without recognising any middle ground.
Taking a single event and generalising it to your entire life. For instance, failing at a task might lead you to think, “I fail at everything I try”.
Focusing exclusively on the negative aspects of a situation while ignoring any positive ones.
Convincing yourself that positive things, such as compliments or positive feedback, don’t count.
Making negative interpretations without definite facts to support them. This includes mind-reading (assuming the thoughts and intentions of others) and fortune-telling (predicting things will turn out badly).
Magnifying negative aspects of a situation or minimising positive ones.
The belief that if you feel something , it must be true.
Using “should”, “ought”, or “must” to motivate yourself may lead to guilt and frustration.
Assigning general negative labels to yourself or others based on specific events.
Attributing external events to your own actions, even when you have no control over them.
Do you recognise any of these? Which of these do you think you use most often?
Job-related: “My boss didn’t immediately respond to my email, so I must be in trouble, or my work isn’t good enough.”
Family-related: “My child didn’t do well on their test because I’m not a good enough parent”
Friendship-related: “My friend cancelled our plans. They’re mad at me”
Recognising these types of NATs is the first step toward managing them. It’s about developing a keen awareness of your thought patterns and the situations that trigger negative thinking. When you start to notice these thoughts, you can begin to question their validity, challenge their truth and gradually replace them with more balanced and realistic thoughts. Identifying NATs is a skill that improves with practice. Developing a compassionate awareness of your mental habits can help you work toward a healthier mindset.
Are there any NATs you tend to have about yourself? Which type of NAT do these link to?
Increased anxiety and stress: Constant negative thinking can keep your body in a heightened state of stress, leading to anxiety.
Depression: Prolonged exposure to negative thoughts can contribute to feelings of hopelessness and helplessness, key symptoms of depression. Negative thinking patterns can cause a downward spiral of mood.
Low self-esteem: Frequently criticising yourself or expecting failure can erode your self-esteem, making you doubt your abilities and worth.
Relationship issues: Negative thinking can affect how you interact with others. Assuming people think negatively of you can lead to isolation and loneliness.
Poor sleep quality: Anxiety and stress caused by negative thinking can make it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep, and over time, sleep disorders.
Recognising these types of NATs is the first step toward managing them. It’s about developing a keen awareness of your thought patterns and the situations that trigger negative thinking. When you start to notice these thoughts, you can begin to question their validity, challenge their truth, and gradually replace them with more balanced and realistic thoughts. Identifying NATs is a skill that improves with practice. Developing a compassionate awareness of your mental habits can help you work toward a healthier mindset.
Please note: We are not an emergency service, if you are in crisis and need urgent support or are worried about immediate risk of harm to self or others, please call 999. Alternatively, you can contact your GP and ask for an emergency appointment or visit your local A&E department. You can also contact the following services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week: NHS Helpline (111) and Samaritans (116 123).