Stress Diary Journal Guides

Guide 10: Cognitive Restructuring

Guide 10: Cognitive Restructuring

Stress Diary Journal Your Guide

What makes a C ognitively Flexible individual?
By cognitive flexibility, it is meant the ability to spontaneously restructure one's knowledge, in many ways, in adaptive response to radically changing situational demands...It is the ability to switch behavioural response according to the context of the situation. The more improved cognitive methods and techniques you have the better you would cope with Stressful situations or events. Cognitive Flexibility asks for the need for flexibility in thinking before acting and a willingness for adaptation and flexibility in new situations, and an individual sense of self-efficacy. Individuals need to be aware of the alternatives and choices before they decide to adapt their behaviours to new situations; thus, they consider their own options in relation to this new situation. The more options individuals can develop, the more flexible they are considered to be. Cognitively flexible individuals are willing to experience new methods of social interaction. They are confident that they are competent in their behavioural understanding. Beck (1967) stated that individuals restructure the world based on their own thoughts, and they act accordingly. In 1995, he claimed that thoughts lead to feelings and behaviours. For example, it is assumed that psychological disturbances are caused by extremely negative generalised cognitions and cognitions resisting change. These cognitions consist of negative thoughts that are far from being flexible. Thus, it can be said that cognitive flexibility leads to positive thoughts. And positive thoughts bring positive behaviours and responses. Having cognitive flexibility decreases aggressive responses to others, lowers the individual's tolerance, and prevents the individual from adopting a Machiavellian point of view. A positive relationship exists between cognitive flexibility and enhanced interpersonal communication, and inflexible cognitions are essentially caused by adaptive problems. Cognitive flexibility has a problem-solving effect in regards to social interaction and communication. Cognitively flexible individuals are typically

Questions to ask So what can you do? What action can I take? What can I do to change my situation? Am I overlooking solutions to problems because I think they wont work? You need to learn to identify and challenge your Automatic Thoughts and use the following guidelines to reach more rational thoughts. What is the evidence? What evidence do I have to support my thoughts? What evidence do I have against them? What alternative views are there? How would someone else view this situation? How would I have viewed this situation if I were not so anxious about eating? What is the effect of thinking the way I do? Does this way of thinking help me, or hold me back? How?

S o, What is C ognitive R estructuring?

more assertive, responsive, attentive, and perceptive. Therefore, it can be said that cognitive flexibility may facilitate understanding of others' feelings makes you more compassionate and having a better attitude to others A Cognitively Individual: Flexible 1. Can adapt rapidly 2. Multi task effectively 3. Thrives on calculated risks 4. Likes challenges 5. Can persevere and see opportunities in obstacles 6. More tolerant and patient 7. Likes to explore 8. Willingness to make mistakes and learn from it 9. Willingness to learn 10. Likes solving problems 11.Can see the big picture and keep perspective 12. Can follow through on goals set 13. Deals well with setbacks 14. Is optimistic Become one Cognitive restructuring is the process of learning to refute cognitive distortions, or fundamental "faulty thinking,"

The process to refute cognitive distortions or fundamental faulty thinking

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Stress Diary Journal

with the goal of replacing one's irrational, counter-factual beliefs with more accurate and beneficial ones. The cognitive restructuring theory holds that people are directly responsible for generating dysfunctional emotions and their resultant behaviors, like stress, depression, anxiety, and social withdrawal, and that we humans can be rid of such emotions and their effects by dismantling the beliefs that give them life. Because one sets unachievable goals "Everyone must love me; I have to be thoroughly competent; I have to be the best in everything" a fear of failure results. Cognitive restructuring then advises to change such irrational beliefs and substitute more rational ones: "I can fail. Although it would be nice, I didn't have to be the best in everything." [Ellis and Harper, 1975; Ellis 1998] This is accomplished by leading the person to: Gain awareness of detrimental thought habits Learn to challenge them Substitute life-enhancing thoughts and beliefs The rationale used in cognitive restructuring attempts to strengthen the persons belief that 1) self-talk' can influence performance, and 2) in particular self-defeating thoughts or negative self-statements can cause emotional distress and interfere with performance, a process that then repeats again in a cycle. What action can I take? What can I do to change my situation? Am I overlooking solutions to problems because I think they wont work? You need to learn to identify and challenge your Automatic

What can you do?

What can I do to change my situation. Am I overlooking solutions to problems because I think they wont work?
Thoughts and use the following guidelines to reach more rational thoughts. What is the evidence? What evidence do I have to support my thoughts? What evidence do I have against them? What alternative views are there? How would someone else view this situation? How would I have viewed this situation if I were not so anxious about eating? What is the effect of thinking the way I do? Does this way of thinking help me, or hold me back? How? Other strategies include: If you find yourself thinking that you are no good at anything and a failure, rather than continuing in this thought you may try to change it to something more balanced and realistic.

A different thought would be to say that you are good at many things, and its OK not to be perfect at everything. By changing your thoughts in this way, you can take some pressure off yourself, and this may paradoxically make it easier for you to do things that were previously causing you stress and anxiety.

Challenging your negative thoughts in this way over a period of time can make a huge difference to your levels of stress and self-esteem.

and value your life more, and also change the way you see other people as well. HSE

[Adam Sandelson & Guidebook] Rather than seeing yourself as All rights acknowledged a helpless individual with no control over our thoughts, emotions or behaviours, you might find a more balanced approach will allow you to enjoy

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The Stress Diaries we have available

The Stress Diary Journal This 4 week programme to complete stress mastery, is an invaluable tool to effectively manage your stress to gain insight and explore self understanding. The Stress Diary Journal allows you to record your daily stress incidents & to monitor these incidents and analyse them on a daily basis, for a period of 4 weeks. Divided into 4 weekly sections for you to master your stress progressively and more competently, it helps you review your initial appraisals, stress responses, your reactions & to identify your stress triggers, to then restructure your thoughts, your attitude and subsequent behaviours. You will be able to easier identify negative behaviour patterns, to increase your stress awareness, to learn new coping skills and to let you adapt new & alternative strategies. You will learn renewed self management skills, inner control, effective goal setting, time management skills, to overcome obstacles and increased perseverance to complete set tasks and to instil newfound routines, competencies and behaviours. It helps you to know yourself and manage your life more completely. This is an invaluable tool to gain unique insight, explore self-understanding, learn stress management skills and effectively manage your stress in 4 weeks!

With a purchase of any of these Diaries, you get full Stress Management Support @ www.stressdiaries.com Stress Diary: Daily Recorder Journal A companion guide to the Stress Diary Journal in a handy size to carry about , and for you to easily record your daily stress entries. Each Stress entry is individually presented for ease of recording on the go and to then transfer these entries to your Stress Diary Journal, or this Stress Diary: Reflection Journal, at the end of your day. Making remembering these Stress incidents/events much easier and keeping you in touch with managing your stress more effectively.

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Stress Diary: Reflection Journal This Stress Reflection Diary Journal is a companion guide to the Stress Diary/Journal and used as an additional tool to further enhance your insight and understanding of your stress. You are to choose 1 significant Stress Entry per day, from your Stress Diary Journal for the length of your 4 week programme, that you may want to elaborate and focus on. Using the guideline questions and answer spaces that are provided, and you can add your personal notes or thoughts about your day or progress. Weekly summaries of your progress are included, to advance and monitor your progress and by answering these questions and adding your own observations, you will increase your skills at understand, managing your reactions and responses to your daily stress triggers and stressors. The Reflection Journal is an easy way to record and focus on how to reflect on your experiences and how you can learn from it.

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