Automatic Thought

An automatic thought is the reaction that a person has to a situation that comes without having to think about it. This can be something very real like seeing a car coming towards you and immediately knowing that you could be hit by that car, or something less certain like jumping to a conclusion that your significant other hasn't called you because they are are mad at you. They might be angry, or their phone might need to be charged, or they might be in a no-service zone but you have to wait to learn the truth. It is important to be aware of how powerful automatic thoughts can be and not allow yourself to be overwhelmed by speculation.