ANT Therapy: How to stop the negative thinking

Anxiety Help:

ANT therapy stands for Automatic Negative Thoughts therapy. It’s a mental health technique that helps you notice and challenge unhelpful thoughts that pop into your mind automatically. These thoughts can make you feel anxious, sad, or stressed—often without you even realizing it.

🧠 Benefits of ANT Therapy:

1. Reduces anxiety and depression – By changing negative thinking patterns, your mood improves.

2. Improves self-esteem – You stop believing harsh, critical thoughts about yourself.

3. Increases emotional control – You react less emotionally and more calmly to situations.

4. Builds resilience – You learn to question and replace unhelpful thoughts with realistic ones.

   
   

✅ How to Use ANT Therapy in Daily Life:

1. Catch the ANTs (Automatic Negative Thoughts)

   Pay attention when you feel a sudden drop in mood or anxiety. Ask: What thought just ran through my mind?

2. Write them down

   Example: “I’ll never be good enough,” or “I always mess things up.”

3. Identify the type of ANT

   Common types include:

   • All-or-nothing thinking (“I failed, so I’m a total failure”)

   • Mind-reading (“They didn’t text back—they must be mad at me”)

   • Catastrophizing (“If I mess up, everything will fall apart”)

4. Challenge the thought

   Ask yourself:

   • Is this 100% true?

   • What’s the evidence for and against it?

   • What would I tell a friend who thought this?

5. Replace it with a healthier thought

   Example: “I made a mistake, but I can learn from it. That doesn’t mean I’m a failure.”

6. Repeat and practice

   The more you practice catching and challenging your ANTs, the weaker they get and the stronger your thinking becomes.

   
   

🐜 Example:

ANT: “I’m terrible at my job.” Challenge: “I’ve had some tough days, but I’ve also received good feedback before.” Replacement: “I’m learning and improving. One rough day doesn’t define me.”

ANT therapy helps you take control of your thoughts, so your thoughts don’t control you. It's like pest control for your mind—kick out the mental bugs and make room for truth and peace.

We would love the chance to talk with you and explain this in more depth or answer any questions you have!

***If you or someone you know could use a little, or a lot, of help, please fill out our contact form at www.thekingsforge.net