How to Stop Thinking So Negatively

Negative thinking is one of the most exhausting and persistent parts of schizoaffective disorder. It can show up as self-hatred, guilt, hopelessness, or the belief that things will never improve. These thoughts aren’t just passing moods—they can feel like facts.

This chapter is about how to work with those thoughts without letting them define you.

🔹 What Negative Thinking Can Sound Like

• “I ruin everything.”

• “Nobody actually cares about me.”

• “There’s no point to anything.”

• “I’ll never get better.”

• “I deserve to feel this way.”

These are cognitive symptoms, not personal truths. They’re part of the illness—and part of what makes it so hard to fight back.

🔹 Common Patterns: Cognitive Distortions

Understanding the shapes these thoughts take can help you catch them more quickly.

• All-or-nothing thinking – “If I can’t do it perfectly, I’m a failure.”

• Catastrophizing – “This is going to ruin everything.”

• Mind reading – “They must think I’m a burden.”

• Overgeneralization – “This always happens. Nothing ever changes.”

• Emotional reasoning – “I feel worthless, so I must be.”

• Should statements – “I should be better by now.”

🔹 Coping Strategies

➤ Use a Thought Record

This is a way to challenge negative thoughts without pretending everything’s fine.

You don’t have to do this every day. Even once a week can build awareness over time.

➤ Replace Thoughts with Neutral Phrases

If “positive thinking” feels fake, try going from negative to neutral instead.

• “I’m worthless” → “I’m having a hard day.”

• “No one cares” → “I don’t know what people are thinking.”

• “This will never end” → “This feels endless right now.”

Neutral thinking is more sustainable. You’re not trying to force joy—you’re trying to stay grounded.

➤ Interrupt the Loop

If you’re stuck in a thought spiral:

• Change your environment – go to a different room or step outside

• Do something sensory – cold water, loud music, textured fabric

• Set a timer – let yourself ruminate for 10 minutes, then stop and switch tasks

• Move your body – pacing, stretching, even a few arm circles can help break the loop

➤ Speak to Yourself Like a Friend

If a friend said what you’re thinking, would you believe it? Would you comfort them? Try responding to your own thoughts as if they were someone you care about.

If that’s too hard, write it down. Seeing the thoughts on paper can reduce their power.

🔹 When Negative Thoughts Turn Dangerous

If your thoughts become suicidal, violent, or obsessive, it’s time to reach out:

• Call a crisis line or text a peer warmline

• Tell someone you trust—even just a sentence

• Ask your psychiatrist or therapist for help adjusting your treatment

• Use a safety plan (you can keep one printed, in your notes app, or as a checklist)

You don’t have to wait until you’re in crisis to ask for support.

🔹 Bonus Tool: Use a Positive Affirmation App

If you want gentle encouragement throughout the day, try a mobile app like I Am. It sends short, calming affirmations to your phone like:

• “I can get through this moment.”

• “I deserve compassion.”

• “This storm will pass.”

You can customize how often it sends reminders, and even record your own affirmations if you prefer your own voice.