ANTs and the Cognitive Approach to Mental Health

"It's too late for me to get honor roll so I might as well not even try to do well." What type of ANT is this an example of?

• Mind Reading

• All or Nothing

• Fortune Telling

• Labeling

True or False. Our brains are wired to see things through a negative lens to help us evaluate threats?

• True

• False

You wave hello to a friend and she ignores you. That must mean she hates you, right?

• Yes! Spend the next 20 minutes replaying it in your mind.

• Probably not. Odds are she just didn't see you.

• Yes! She just talked to you in class and things were cool but you're sure you did something to make her hate you.

• No. You have no evidence of that, you are just falling into the mind reading ANT.

True or False. It is possible to reframe automatic negative thoughts into more accurate thoughts.

• True

• False

Check strategies you can use to improve motivation.

• Celebrate small successes

• Get more physical activity

• Set small SMART goals

• Nothing. You have no control over your motivation.

Positive thinking changes your brain. Your brain gets a boost of ________________ every time you celebrate a success.

Seeing situations as "glass half empty" is what kind of ANT?

• Fortune Telling

• Mind Reading

• Guilt Beating

• Focusing on the Negative

True or False. Working on building a positive/growth mindset means that you just ignore all of the negative things in life and pretend to be happy all the time.

• True

• False

How can the concept of mindfulness be helpful to you?

• It will give you more intensity

• It will help crowd out other things in your mind

• To allow your thoughts to control your emotions.

• To have the ability to notice and let go of your thoughts

The idea of using a "windshield wiper" can be a good visual in your mind to wipe your mind clean of the ANTS (automatic negative thoughts).

• TRUE

• FALSE