Can you really think yourself better if you are struggling with your mental well-being? The short answer, in a lot of cases, is yes.

If you can learn to change the way you think, you can play a major part in helping yourself to feel better. What you tell yourself really matters to your state of mind.

If someone is suffering from low mood or has depression they may well feel overwhelmed by things and unable to see much in the way of positivity if they look forward to the future.

All of these thoughts and feelings are actually a product of someone’s imagination, they haven’t happened, we are imagining these things. They are, in effect, a negative forecast of the future.

These repetitive, negative thinking cycles can become self-perpetuating, they become more and more ingrained into a person’s way of thinking.

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So, it stands to sense that if our bad thoughts about the future are being created in our imagination, if we can create good thoughts instead, we can start to feel better about the future.

I am of course simplifying things here in the space I have, but hopefully, you get the idea of it. The only one in control of your thoughts is you, so here’s how you can start to make a change.

Just imagine, for a moment how you would feel if the future looked a little better. If you remembered you had something to look forward to. If you were feeling just a little further up the happiness scale from where you are now.

I’m not talking about a lottery win, I’m talking about a sunny day or a visit to a good friend, something achievable.

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Take a few moments to ponder over each of the following five questions and really think about each one.

· What could you be doing differently?

· How would it make you feel?

· If you were feeling a bit better, who in your life would be surprised to see this happening?

· How would it affect them?

· How would they react differently to you?

If you’ve given a few moments to each of the questions above you will have already started to visualise yourself in a more positive future.

When we ask ourselves this type of question we immediately begin to think about how our future would be without the problem that is bothering us at the moment.

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We are using our imagination and our own resources to picture ourselves feeling differently in the future. This technique allows us to build a more positive mental image in our minds.

When we begin to create our own positive images of the future we are utilising the ‘intellectual’ side of our brain. When we do this, we are, in effect, quietening down the negative fight/flight/depression side of our minds at the same time.

Next week I will be telling you about OCD and how it affects people.

If you feel you are in a mental health crisis or emergency and may be in danger of causing harm to yourself or others then please contact your GP, the Samaritans on 116 123 or attend A&E.