Have you ever noticed how one negative thought can quickly spiral into ten more? You make a mistake at work, and before you know it, your mind is predicting disaster: “I always get things wrong. I’m going to get fired. Nothing ever goes my way.”
That spiral is not just imagination, it’s your brain running on autopilot. Psychologists estimate that we have anywhere between 50,000–80,000 thoughts per day, and around 95–97% are repetitive. Even more concerning? 75–85% of those thoughts are negative.
Unless we learn how to interrupt them, those patterns of thinking – called automatic negative thoughts (ANTs) – can infest our mind, shape our beliefs, and sabotage our confidence.
What Are ANTs?
The term Automatic Negative Thoughts was coined by psychiatrist Dr. Daniel Amen after a long day with difficult clients—and a literal ant infestation in his kitchen. He realised that, just like ants, negative thoughts are:
- Pervasive: they crawl in everywhere.
- Repetitive: one thought follows another.
- Annoying: they won’t leave unless you deliberately deal with them.
The brain is a meaning-making machine. Left unchecked, these thoughts repeat so often that we start to believe them, whether they’re true or not. But here’s the key:
👉 A thought is just a thought. It is not necessarily true.
Why the Brain Defaults to Negativity
When your brain isn’t focused on a task, it switches into what neuroscientists call the Default Mode Network, a background state that processes memories, solves problems, and daydreams.
This network can be wonderfully creative, but it also provides fertile ground for ANTs. The brain loves efficiency, so it recycles familiar thoughts – even the unhelpful ones. And because negative experiences can activate the stress response, the brain remembers and replays them more strongly than positive ones.
The result? We can become stuck in cycles of self-talk that reinforce fear, self-doubt and limitation.
The 9 Types of ANTs
Dr. Amen identified nine common “species” of automatic negative thoughts that most people experience:
- All-or-Nothing ANTs
- “I never get this right.”
- Thinking in extremes, with no middle ground.
- Less-Than ANTs
- “I’ll never be as good as them.”
- Comparing yourself to others and shrinking in self-worth.
- Just-the-Bad ANTs
- “Nothing ever works out for me.”
- Filtering out positives to focus only on problems.
- Guilt-Beating ANTs
- “I should be doing more. I have to get this done.”
- Driven by pressure, shame, or obligation.
- Labelling ANTs
- “I’m weak. I’m stupid. They’re selfish.”
- Attaching negative labels to yourself or others.
- Fortune-Telling ANTs
- “This will never work out. It’s bound to go wrong.”
- Predicting the worst without evidence.
- Mind-Reading ANTs
- “They think I’m a failure.”
- Assuming you know what others think about you.
- If-Only ANTs
- “If only I had more money, then I’d be happy.”
- Believing happiness depends on conditions outside of you.
- Blaming ANTs
- “It’s their fault I feel this way.”
- Refusing to take ownership of your own choices.
These thinking styles don’t just impact our mindset, they shape our nervous system, relationships, and behaviour.
How to Stop the ANTs
The good news? You can learn to interrupt negative thought loops and rewire your brain for more supportive, empowering self-talk. Here are two effective approaches we teach at the MindBodyFood Institute:
- Catch, Challenge, Change
A simple but powerful neuroplasticity tool:
- Catch the negative thought as soon as you notice it.
- Challenge it: Is this 100% true? Is there evidence against it?
- Change it into a more supportive, realistic statement.
For example:
- ANT: “I’m stupid. I can’t do this.”
- Reframe: “I don’t know how to do this yet, but I can learn.”
- Dr. Amen’s 5-Step Formula
- Write down the negative thought.
- Identify the ANT type.
- Ask: Is this true? Is it really true?
- Notice how you feel with and without the thought.
- Replace it with a healthier alternative.
Why This Matters for Coaches and Practitioners
Learning to recognise and reframe ANTs isn’t just helpful for yourself, because it’s life-changing for clients.
As a holistic life coach or mind-body practitioner, you’ll meet people weighed down by self-doubt, fear, and old patterns of thinking. Knowing how to identify, disrupt, and reframe these thoughts can help clients:
- Reduce anxiety and overwhelm.
- Build resilience and self-worth.
- Shift from fear-based thinking into possibility.
- Create new neural pathways for lasting change.
This is why our certification programs at the MindBodyFood Institute include practical neuroplasticity tools for working with automatic negative thoughts and limiting beliefs.
The next time you notice a negative thought crawling in, remember:
It’s just an ANT. You don’t have to believe it.
Become aware, question its truth, and choose a better replacement. In doing so, you will reclaim control over your mind, and your future.
Author:
Viki Thondley
Viki Thondley-Moore is an Integrative Holistic Counsellor, Neuro-Somatic Coach, Clinical Hypnotherapist, Mind-Body Practitioner, Wellness & Nutrition Coach, Meditation Teacher, Nervous System Educator and Disordered Eating Specialist. Viki is Founder/Director of the MindBodyFood Institute.
