Cognitive therapy is grounded in the idea that our thoughts—not just situations—shape our emotions and behaviour. How we interpret events can lead to vastly different emotional responses, even when the situation is the same. This article explores how automatic thoughts, often outside our conscious awareness, influence our mood and reactions.

Through relatable examples, it shows how , anger, or sadness can arise not from events themselves, but from how we perceive them. By learning to identify and challenge these automatic thoughts, individuals can begin to change their emotional responses. Cognitive therapy offers practical tools for developing greater emotional awareness and control.

Your thoughts matter

Cognitive therapy is based on the understanding that peoples’ emotions and behaviour are influenced by their perceptions. What a person thinks about a situation affects their moods and reactions more than the situation itself. We know this because the same situation can happen to several people, and each can have a different reaction to that same situation.  

Example

Imagine four people working towards a demanding deadline. While working, a new demand appears as their boss gives them additional tasks. Person A thinks, "Why do my bosses plan so poorly? It’s not fair, they don’t respect me”. She feels angry and goes to find her colleagues to complain and let off some steam. Person B thinks, “What if I can’t get it all done? They’ll think I’m no good at my job”. He starts to feel anxious and tense and works over the weekend to complete everything asked of him.

Person C thinks, “I can’t do this as well as I’d like. I’m no good at my job”. She feels sad and overwhelmed and decides to stop what she’s doing and distract herself to feel better. Person D thinks, “This is a pain, I don’t like being put under this kind of pressure, but I’ll get done what I can. There might be a delay completing it, but if that happens, I’ll go speak to the boss directly”. He feels a bit uncomfortable.

Is there more to feeling disturbed than just a bad situation?

In the example, the way each person felt was directly connected to what went through their mind when they were given extra work. The situation wasn’t great, but it wasn’t the situation alone that made them react as they did. Apply this to yourself now: Are your negative emotions made worse because of your perceptions and interpretations about a life situation? It’s true that some life situations are objectively difficult. But do your thoughts make you feel even worse or make you act in ways that aren’t effective?

The diagram above shows that physical, emotional and behavioural reactions follow thoughts. These reactions influence each other, and they can make negative thinking worse too.   

What are automatic thoughts?

Most of the time, people aren’t aware of their thoughts when things happen. People are much more aware of the emotions that follow, like anger, sadness or fear. Physical reactions like stomach pain or chest tightness are also easier to recognise than the thoughts which precede them. This is because the type of thoughts which influence mood have an automatic quality. They are not deliberate. Automatic thoughts are brief and fleeting, and they lie just under conscious awareness. We tend to believe them as though they are true and accurate appraisals of what is happening to us. Negative emotions and unhelpful reactions follow which sometimes are not constructive for us or others.  

Where to start? Do this.

Begin by looking for your automatic thoughts. Whenever you notice a change in mood or your mood gets worse, ask yourself,“What was going through my mind just then?”.

Make a note of it. Writing a thought down can feel powerful. You begin to have an objective relationship with it. It’s a first step in taking charge of your emotional mind. With a little practise you can learn to identify automatic thoughts easily. Take your time and practise for a week or so. The next step is to decide which automatic thought you will evaluate so your mood improves. 

If you think you could benefit from cognitive therapy sessions and would like to schedule an appointment with Dr Isobel Horn, you can do so by visiting her Top Doctors profile.