Effects of Negative Core Beliefs

Automatic thinking is a term that comes up a lot around these parts and refers to the self-talk or narrative that folks with depression and anxiety immediately engage in as a response to an activating event or trigger. Automatic thinking can be the result of a trigger or can act as a trigger for distress. Many of the clients I work with are often curious about how or why this type of thinking occurs. The primary source of automatic thinking are core beliefs; beliefs that we hold about ourselves, others and/or the world around us. Individuals who struggle with a mental health issue typically have negative core beliefs that can influence thinking on a variety of events that occur on a day to day basis.

Core beliefs can center around adequacy ("I am worthless"), control ("I cannot be trusted") or safety ("I cannot protect myself"). Someone who holds the core belief of "I must be perfect" may be prone to polarized thinking (placing events or people in categories of "all good" or "all bad") which may in turn increase the distress associated with failing and could also influence a reaction to failing that is unhelpful or harmful.

There are many factors that influence core beliefs; one being a biologically based condition like depression. A person may have a typical family history and childhood but because of the impact depression has on their mood, that person may interpret the "stuff" we all go through in ways that are more negative and impactful. Failing a test or feedback received from a parent may take on a deeper meaning that feeds into the understanding that a person has about themselves. A child or teen without depression may move on from these events or, perhaps, use these events as motivating factors to improve. A...

... middle of paper ...

...t they are working on (usually historical) when coming up with the core belief. If someone is struggling with putting words to the core belief, I'll provide them with a list that they can either pick from or use as a way to jog their thinking.

Negative core beliefs typically develop during times of high distress when we are less capable of looking at events objectively. Because they are distressing, we may not revisit them for reasons ranging from discomfort to fear. As a result, the initial understanding or conclusion about the event may not change or be challenged. Being aware of the core belief(s) is key to long term sustainable change as it addresses the root cause. In identifying core beliefs, we become more able to engage in a variety of skills that seek to address the source of the belief in ways that can lead to fundamental shifts in our thinking.