Understanding the Negative Cycle

The negative cycle refers to the vicious loop of negative thoughts and feelings that feed into each other and keep you stuck. When something unpleasant happens, your initial thought about it triggers an emotional reaction. That emotional reaction then leads to more negative thoughts, and so on. 

If you think negatively, like, “I’m so stupid for making that mistake,” you will feel bad about yourself. Those negative emotions generate even more negative thoughts, such as, “Nothing ever goes right for me.” The more you dwell on these thoughts, the worse you feel until you are in a downward spiral of negativity. 

Breaking the Cycle

You can break this cycle using EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques), also known as tapping techniques. Tapping on acupressure points helps to calm your emotions and clear your mind. Once you’ve tapped away the negative feelings, you can challenge negative thoughts with more positive and realistic ones.

For example, that initial thought of “I’m so stupid” could be reframed as “Everyone makes mistakes sometimes. I will learn from this and do better next time.” Replacing negative thoughts with more constructive ones helps create positive feelings, which in turn leads to even more positive and empowering thoughts.

Identifying Your Negative Cycle of Thoughts, Emotions, and Behaviors

We all have moments of negative thinking, but for some, these thoughts can spiral out of control and into a vicious cycle. The first step is identifying your own personal cycle of negativity.

Thoughts

Pay attention to the critical thoughts that pop into your head, especially when feeling down. Do you constantly criticize yourself or expect perfection? Negative thoughts like “I’m not good enough” or “I always fail” fuel the cycle.

Emotions

Next, notice the emotions that arise from these thoughts. Feelings of anxiety, sadness, anger, or hopelessness are common. Don’t bottle them up — accept them without judgment and understand they stem from your negative thoughts.

Behaviors

Finally, look at how these emotions influence your actions. Do you isolate yourself, procrastinate, or engage in unhealthy coping behaviors? These behaviors often reinforce negative thoughts and continue the cycle.

Once you understand your negative loop of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, you can start interrupting it. Challenge negative thoughts with more balanced ones, soothe difficult emotions with self-care, and replace unhealthy behaviors with constructive alternatives. It will take practice, but staying aware of your cycle is the first step to breaking free from it. 

Using EFT Tapping to Break the Negative Cycle

When you find yourself caught in a loop of negative thoughts and feelings, EFT tapping can help break the cycle. The tapping points are your “emotional circuit breakers” — tapping on them can disrupt the energy flow in the cycle of negative emotions.

As soon as you notice negative thoughts arising, start tapping the karate chop point on the side of your hand. Say a reminder phrase like “this negative feeling” or “these anxious thoughts.” Tap the karate chop point as you repeat the word, then move on to the other points — eyebrow, under the eye, side of the eye, under the nose, chin, collarbone, and arm.

Tap with two or three fingers at each point while saying your reminder phrase. Breathe slowly and deeply as you tap. You may find that the negative feelings start to fade or shift slightly. Keep tapping through all the points until you feel the emotional intensity decrease.

Even a short tapping sequence like this can help disrupt the cycle of negative rumination and make the anxious thoughts feel less overwhelming. You can repeat the tapping as often as needed to continue easing the negative feelings. Over time, EFT tapping helps retrain your mind and body to respond more calmly, breaking free from habitual cycles of negative emotions and cultivating more positive thought patterns.

If you constantly feel yourself spiraling into negativity and struggling with difficult emotions, therapy can help. Book a consultation with us today.