Irrational thoughts or beliefs are those thoughts that are not real and cause us anguish and discomfort. They are thoughts within us that make us act in a certain way.
Therefore, it could be said that we contribute to our stress because we will feel one way or another depending on how we evaluate what happens to us. That is to say, it is not the events that generate anguish in us. It is we who generate it with our way of evaluating them.
Therefore, it would make sense that one of the techniques that can be used to deal with anxiety attacks, cognitive distortions, etc., demonstrates the irrationality of fears. When this happens and irrational thoughts surface, you must convince yourself that your opinion is not genuine.
Understanding how our thoughts influence emotions is an important part of mental health advice, especially when negative thinking begins to affect daily life.
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ABC Technique to Combat Irrational Thoughts
This technique is based on showing that the beliefs we have are irrational. To do this, we have to make a table in which we detail the following by columns:
A: The event
B: The Evaluation we make of what has happened
C: Emotion that generates us and what we do
Let’s take an example:
| A: Event | B: Evaluation | C: Emotion |
|---|---|---|
| We fall on the street | Everyone is looking at me. I am a very clumsy person; what a disaster | Discomfort, shame, and anxiety |
| We fall on the street | It can happen to anyone | Upset |
So when something like this happens to us, we need to put into practice the following technique: the ABCDE technique. In this situation, the columns of the table would be as follows:
A: The event
B: We evaluate what happened
C: Emotion that generates us and what we do
D: Question irrational thoughts
E: New Rational Thinking
Take an example:
| A: Event | B: Evaluation | C: Emotion | D: Questioning | E: New Thought |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| We went out in dirty shirts | Everyone is looking at me. They think I’m a messy person | Discomfort, anguish, and anxiety | Who is watching you? No one is looking at your shirt. There are more people on the street. Also, they may be looking at how handsome you look | Indifference |
Why a Belief Can Be Irrational
Our way of reflecting or interpreting seems objective, but it is not, since the brain can apply any scheme to analyze the environment, sometimes pathologically or randomly.
People have thoughts linked to or a product of their personality and develop cognitive schemes through education, culture, religion, experiences, etc. When interpreting a situation, these mental patterns or these values learned throughout life are activated.
Believing our thoughts or values can generate negative consequences, such as emotional disturbances, conflicts in relationships, or situations where misinterpretations may create conflicts.
A simple example that helps to understand a poorly or correctly focused situation: not being able to finish a job, one thinks: “I am incompetent,” one feels sad (emotion) and decides to go home instead of going to the movies (behaviour). The next day he goes to work reluctantly. On the other hand, another worker thinks, “Today I had a difficult day, I’ll finish it tomorrow” (thought), relaxes and goes to the gym (behaviour). The next day he goes to work motivated and in good spirits.
Practical Ways to Challenge Irrational Thoughts Daily
The ABCDE method works best when it becomes a habit. Start by noticing the moment an uncomfortable feeling appears. Write down what just happened (A), what you told yourself about it (B), and how you felt or acted (C). Then deliberately question the thought (D) and write a more balanced version (E).
Many people find it helpful to keep a small notebook or phone note for this. Over time, the questioning becomes faster and more automatic.
Difficult relationships can also feed irrational thinking. Learning how to handle a narcissist can reduce the emotional triggers that often lead to harsh self-judgment or catastrophic thoughts.
Strong emotions such as grief frequently bring waves of irrational thinking too. Having clear proven tips for dealing with grief can help you stay grounded during those periods.
Final Thought
Irrational thoughts are common. Almost everyone has them from time to time. The goal is not to eliminate every negative thought, but to stop treating them as absolute truths. When you learn to pause, question, and replace them with more realistic ones, the emotional impact usually becomes much lighter.