Like we often talk about at The Depression Project, it's common for people fighting depression (and anxiety and other mental health issues) to experience the negative thought "I'm a burden".
However, like we also often talk about, just because you have a negative thought like "I'm a burden", it does not mean that it's true!
And, to help you see this, right now, we'd like to share with you a free excerpt from our cognitive behavioural therapy-based journal You Are Not A Burden.
Free excerpt
When it comes to freeing yourself from the negative thought “I’m a burden”, a helpful question to ask yourself can be:
Is there a more positive, self-compassionate, accurate way that I could be looking at things?
Asking yourself this question is an example of implementing a cognitive behavioural therapy technique known as “cognitive reframing” or “cognitive restructuring”, and the reason why it can be so helpful is because there usually is indeed a more positive, self-compassionate, accurate way of viewing things!
In particular, the negative thought “I’m a burden for being in a low mood and needing support” could be reframed as, for example:
- “It is OK to not be OK, and in the same way that I wouldn’t judge a loved one who needs support, I shouldn’t judge myself, either. After all, friends and family are there to uplift each other.”
- “My loved ones are now supporting me just like I have supported them in the past, and just like I will support them in the future if and when they need me to.”
- “Over time, EVERYBODY will experience difficulties in which they’ll need the support of their loved ones. Right now, it’s a time when I need support, and when it’s my loved ones’ time in the future, I’ll be there to support them.”
- Depression / anxiety / PTSD / another mental illness is the burden – not me – and I did not willingly choose to suffer from this.”
Journal Prompt: How could you reframe your negative thought “I’m a burden” in more positive, self-compassionate, accurate ways?
End of free excerpt
We hope you've found this free excerpt from our You Are Not A Burden Journal helpful, our friend.
All our love,
The Depression Project Team.
P.S. If you'd like to learn a lot more strategies to help you cope with and overcome the negative thought "I'm a burden", then click the link below to learn more about this cognitive behavioural therapy-based journal.