Automatic thinking is a term that comes up a lot around here and refers to the self-talk or narrative that people with depression and anxiety immediately engage in in response to an activating event or trigger . Automatic thinking may be the result of a trigger or may serve as a trigger of distress. Many of the clients I work with are often curious about how or why this type of thinking occurs. The primary source of automatic thinking is core beliefs; beliefs we have about ourselves, others and/or the world around us. Individuals who struggle with a mental health problem typically have negative core beliefs that can influence thinking about a variety of events that occur daily. Core beliefs may focus on adequacy ("I'm worthless"), control ("I can't be trusted"), or safety ("I can't protect myself"). Someone who has the core belief of “I must be perfect” may be prone to polarized thinking (placing events or people into categories of “all good” or “all bad”) which may in turn increase the distress associated with failure and may also influence a reaction to failure that is unhelpful or harmful. There are many factors that influence core beliefs; one is a biological condition like depression. A person may have a typical family history and childhood, but because of the impact depression has on one's mood, that person may interpret the "stuff" we all go through in more negative and impactful ways. Failing a test or receiving feedback from a parent can take on a deeper meaning that fuels a person's understanding of themselves. A child or adolescent without depression can overcome these events or, perhaps, use these events as motivating factors to improve. A... middle of the paper... they're working on (usually historical) when they come up with the core belief. If someone has trouble putting the core belief into words, I will give them a list that they can choose from or use as a way to stimulate their own thinking. Negative core beliefs typically develop during periods of high distress when we are less able to look at events objectively. Because they are distressing, we may not revisit them for reasons ranging from discomfort to fear. As a result, your initial understanding or conclusion about the event may not change or may be called into question. Being aware of core beliefs is key to long-term sustainable change as it addresses the root cause. By identifying core beliefs, we become better able to engage in a variety of skills that seek to address the source of the belief in ways that can lead to fundamental changes in our thinking...