How Do You Protect Yourself From Self-Defeating Thoughts?

Answer 1

Affirmations or mantras are only helpful if the thoughts are superficial patterns. For most people they are controlled by deeply embedded subconscious defensive beliefs. These have to be identified, traced to their origin and reframed to disappear. Because reality is responsive to consciousness internal 'purification/transformation' is necessary.

Answer 2

Actually I have something I do that will seem a little weird, well maybe a lot weird. I am very aware of my thoughts. If I am having thoughts that are self defeating I will say out loud if alone, or to myself if not {I don't want people to guess how nuts I really am}, "JUST SHUT UP! YOU ARE A LIAR"! Self defeating thoughts come from my ego, which never has my best interest at heart. If his lips are moving, he is lying. I call my ego the little ____ on the left. I know it sounds weird, but it works, he will shut up, if only for a little while. I discovered this method completely by accident on day. I was being particularly tortured one day, I got so frustrated I screamed, "shut the____ up" and to my surprise there suddenly was total silence. Try it you might be surprised. Thanks.
(((HUG)))

Answer 3

You know there are many things I can control about myself, how i will react to aggression, how i will react to flirting, how i will handle disappointment, and how i will bury those mistakes that I made that seem to come back up from time to time. Self-defeating thoughts are the one thing that I have absolutely no control over. Don't get me wrong, there are not that many that I ring my hands every hour in personal disgust. But, girl are they some difficult hurdles to overcome. This is where the "blues" come from! I guess what I am saying is, maybe there is no protection from them, they are like a cold that shows up, and all that I can do is take a happy pill and hope that it runs it's course and is over soon.

Answer 4

yup... I'll go by the first answer too. your self defeating thoughts have become automated responses, over time. remember the first day you went cycling and kept falling off the bike over and over again? but after a few days, you nevr had that problem again right?

Your self defeating thoughts are the same.... they become automated following a period of conscious thought.

So everytime you come up with a self defeating thought, IMMEDIATELY replace it with something positive. Keep doing this consciously. Over time(in a few months probably) you will have it automated. Bu dont give up half way.

Your subconscious mind acts as the servant of your consciousness. So if you can be a tough master, your subconsciousness will be shaped in a way that is beneficial to you.

Keep repeating positive thoughts and replace bad habits with new, good ones. You'll be fine... Best of luck!

Answer 5

Start thinking of Self-Healing thoughts!

Self-Defeating thoughts, in my opinion, should not necessarily be looked at as a bad thing. They give us perspective. And while, yes, it's usually the perspective we don't want to see, it IS another perspective in the grand scheme of perspectives which this world is full of!

For every self-defeating thought, there is a self-healing thought to counter it! Just like for every evil there is a good to counter! And, the more you get used to the healing thoughts, the more THEY become the norm!

And, sooner or later, you will realize that you start wanting to look at things from the self-defeating perspective, just to see things another way.

This was such a great question... so many ask this question day in and day out, but never know to ask it out loud. :-)

Peace & Harmony to you!

Answer 6

Self-defeating thoughts are created through habit. Similarly, through habit they can be replaced with positive thoughts.

It's not easy to do, depending on how bad it is, but it is doable. My father is the most negative and critical person I've ever met, and having to live with him during my childhood really messed up what could have been a healthy perspective on life. Fortunately, I've been able to turn it around though consistancy and resiliency.

Answer 7

You have been created just the way you are, with all of your faults and foibles, with all of your gifts and talents. God has woven together an entire universe and entire history to put you, just you, right here, right now, because this is the perfect time and place for you to exist. When you have a self-defeating thought, remember who you are, who made you, and why you are here.

Answer 8

I am working on this myself. My counsellor told me that when I caught myself thinking negatively, to "take the next exit." That is, you can visualize like you are going down a road, and suddenly, you realize that you have gone off on a wrong path (the path of negative thinking!) - so you do what you would do if you were in a car. You take the next exit.

It is good to have some thoughts prepared ahead of time for when this happens, so that when you catch yourself, you have something ready to replace your thoughts with.

Be your own counsellor. Think about what you would say to someone who spoke of themselves the way you are thinking of yourself. Think what you would say to someone who said the things you are thinking, or who had the problems you are thinking about. Often times, you know the answer! It just takes a little effort to come to realize this, and then to implement the solution.

Be around positive people, or listen to speeches of positive people. Read about the lives of inspiring people who had a good positive attitude. Their thinking will start to rub off on you.

Answer 9

easily not. to quote sunlight Tzu: A familiar who knows purely himself or purely his opponent could win a conflict yet will by no skill win a warfare; purely the final who knows both himself and his opponent will finally triumph. The trick with any self-progression is to comprehend the mechanism of comments and use it as an threat to strengthen the way you do issues. Feeback into the subconscious would not purely come from outdoors, it may also come from the conscious techniques - so once you're going to commence tampering such as your protection mechanisms, purely be particular you're able to coping with the autumn-out and dealing the completed procedure by using to its logical end.

Answer 10

I approcah my self at the base core of who i am according to my own estimation and not some one elses. I have nothing
to prove to anyone least of all my self, and therein is my
solution, at least for me . . .

i need not bother with negitive thoughts, that only happens when you live by another's blueprint for life, i simply live and let live, i know what i can do and what i can't and that's ok
with me, it doesn't make me any less of a human being . . .

Ironically it helps to embrace one's limitations, i never get
to big for my brittgess, why should i? that would only be
self defeating . . . lol.

take care . . .