ANT THERAPY
One of the most effective techniques we use with our patients at Discover Chiropractic is what we call ANT Therapy, or learning how to kill the ANTs (automatic negative thoughts).
First, get to know the 9 different types of ANT species that can infect your mind, steal your happiness, and keep you from achieving what you want in life.
9 TYPES OF ANT SPECIES:
- All-or-Nothing ANTs: Thinking that things are either all good or all bad.
- Less than ANTs: Where you compare and see yourself as less than others.
- Just the Bad ANTs: Seeing only the bad in a situation.
- Guilt Beating ANTs: Thinking in words like should, must, ought, or have to.
- Labeling ANTs: Attaching a negative label to yourself or someone else.
- Fortune Telling ANTs: Predicting the worst possible outcome for a situation with little or no evidence for it.
- Mind Reading ANTs: Believing you know what other people are thinking even though they haven’t told you.
- If Only and I’ll Be Happy When ANTs: Where you argue with the past and long for the future.
- Blaming ANTs: Blaming someone else for your problems.
LEARN HOW TO KILL THE ANTS
The ANT-killing formula is simple. Whenever you feel sad, mad, nervous, or out of control:
- Write down your negative thoughts.
- Figure out which ANT species it is.
- Talk back to it.
ANT KILLING EXAMPLES
HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU HAVE IT?
MILD
- Having difficulty performing tasks in a social or work setting
- Forgetting material that you just read
- Experiencing increased trouble with planning or organizing
- Losing or misplacing objects or documents
- Having trouble remembering names of new people
- Struggling to find the right word
MODERATE
- Experiencing changes in sleep patterns
- Being confused about where you are or what day it is
- Feeling moody or withdrawn, especially in socially or mentally challenging situations
- Forgetting events or part of personal history
- Getting lost
- Needing help choosing appropriate clothes for day or event
- Having personality or behavior changes
- Experiencing suspiciousness, delusions, or compulsive behaviors
- Having trouble controlling bladder or bowels
- Being unable to remember own address or phone number, high school, or college
- Wandering
SEVERE
- Forgetting surroundings
- Having increased difficulty communicating
- Losing basic physical abilities: walking, sitting, or swallowing
- Having low awareness of recent happenings
- Needing 24-7 care
- Having vulnerability to infections, especially pneumonia