Challenging Negative Thinking: A Guide for Youth

If you live with anxiety, you might notice that your thoughts sometimes feel like your biggest challenge. Maybe you’ve caught yourself thinking things like “I can’t do this,” “Something bad is going to happen,” or “I’m not good enough.” These kinds of thoughts can show up quickly and feel really convincing, even when they’re not based on facts.

The good news? You can learn to challenge these thoughts and shift your perspective. It takes practice, but it’s a powerful way to build emotional strength and feel more in control.

Let’s take a look at how! 

Understanding Common Thinking Traps: 

Negative thinking often falls into thinking traps. These traps distort reality and make anxiety feel even stronger. Recognizing them is the first step toward changing negative thoughts and how you respond. Two common thinking traps are: 

• Fortune-telling: This is when you predict the future in a negative way, like thinking “I know I’ll fail the test” or “Everyone will laugh at me.” These thoughts assume the worst before anything has even happened, which can make you feel anxious and less confident.
• Filtering: This happens when you only focus on the negatives and ignore the positives. For example, you might think your presentation went badly because a few people looked bored, even though others were engaged and gave you compliments. Filtering makes it hard to see the full picture and can reinforce feelings of inadequacy. 

These thoughts can feel very real in the moment, but they’re often based on fear, not facts.

Once you spot a thinking trap, you can start to challenge it.  

How to challenge negative thoughts: 

One of the top recommendations from our Starling Mental Health professionals is to ask yourself: “Would I say this to a friend?”

It’s one of the most relatable and effective ways to check your thinking. If your friend said, “I’m going to fail,” you’d probably respond with kindness and encouragement, not criticism. So why not offer yourself the same support? 

Here are more helpful questions to ask when a negative thought shows up:

• Am I falling into a thinking trap, like fortune-telling or filtering?
• What’s the evidence that this thought is true or not true?
• Am I 100% sure that this negative thought will happen?
• How many times has this actually happened before?
• What’s the worst that could happen and how could I cope? 

These questions help you pause, reflect, and reframe your thinking in a kinder, more realistic way – shifting unhelpful thoughts into more balanced ones.  

Remember, you’re not alone

Lots of young people experience negative thinking, especially when they’re feeling anxious. You’re not the only one, and there are tools that can help. Every time you challenge a negative thought, you’re building strength and resilience.

If you are under 18 and feeling overwhelmed with anxiety, contact Front Door to Child & Youth Mental Health as a first step.