So far you've thought about your moods and your negative thoughts. You've
learned to identify your negative thoughts and to see how they might get
you down. This module focuses on understanding the parts of your thoughts
that can make you feel negatively about yourself and learn how to protect
yourself from those thoughts now and in the future.
You may have certain types of events that often trigger the negative
thoughts. Creating positive counter-thoughts is one of the best ways to
stop this process. When you are feeling better and are thinking more
realistically about a situation, you're more likely to be able to deal with
it effectively. If you’ve been keeping up with the modules, you should have
a plan that includes common activating events (events that trigger negative
thinking), unrealistic negative thoughts, and positive counter-thoughts. If
not, feel free to go back through them and work on your plan!
When you get a cold, your body's immune system learns to recognize the cold
germs so it can protect itself against those germs in the future. Think of
this module as training you to recognize the cold germs. The better you
understand your thoughts now, the more you'll be able to protect yourself
against negative, unhelpful thoughts in the future.