17/07/2025
Mental Health Hygiene: Catching Unhelpful Thoughts
ctto Ateneo Bulatao Center for Psychological Services
In building our mental health hygiene habits, we need to pay attention to our thoughts and assumptions about ourselves. That is our topic this week.
Our thoughts play an important role in our mental well-being. Worrying about our finances, relationships, and other responsibilities is natural, but we can easily get trapped in a vicious cycle of anxiety and worry. For example, our underlying doubt that we arenโt good enough, that everything will go wrong, or that people dislike us can start to look and feel very real. Rather than simply accepting these assumptions, we may wish to catch them, challenge them, and possibly change them in a way that is more evidence-based and fair!
Catch It: In order to catch something, we need to be aware that they are present. So, take some time to identify what negative thoughts you often have about yourself and your situation. Do you tend to catastrophize and think that you are unable to handle your challenges? Do you think of yourself as having litte worth, that others will not like or care for?
Challenge It: Take a step back and examine if thereโs any objective and verifiable evidence for and against your thoughts and assumptions. How true are these thoughts? How untrue are they? More often than not, the truth is somewhere in between the extreme ways we tend to think.
Change It: Given the previous step, what would be a more realistic way to think of yourself in your situation? You may also ask the following question to yourself: What would a good friend advise me if I told them about this situation?
Keep in mind that while these hygiene practices help manage our mental health, they are not substitutes to professional help when needed. Knowing when and where to seek professional help is just as important.
