Bad Thinking Diary Info

(What went through your mind?)

By writing down your worst thoughts, you take away their power to surprise you. You realize that your brain is a drama queen, not a fortune teller. You learn to say: "Oh, that old thought again. I see you. I know you aren't real. Goodbye."

(Circle all that apply) All-or-nothing / Overgeneralization / Filter / Discounting / Jumping to conclusions / Magnification / Emotional reasoning / Should statements / Labeling / Personalization Bad Thinking Diary

In this article, we will explore what a Bad Thinking Diary is, the science of why it works, how it differs from a standard gratitude journal, and a step-by-step guide to creating one that actually heals your mind. A Bad Thinking Diary is a structured journal used to capture, label, and dismantle cognitive distortions—those irrational, automatic thoughts that pop into your head and convince you that you are failing, unlikeable, or doomed.

Start tonight. Write down the worst thing your inner critic is saying. Then, in the next column, fact-check it. You might just find that the monster under your bed is just a dusty pair of old shoes. (What went through your mind

(What happened?)

Enter the .

Unlike a regular diary where you might vent about a bad day, the Bad Thinking Diary has a specific job: