Characteristics of unhelpful thoughts Unhelpful thoughts are: • automatic: as with all thoughts, unhelpful ones tend to pop into our head rapidly and unexpectedly, without any deliberate or conscious effort; • distorted: they are usually not entirely accurate; • plausible: we accept them as facts, and do not question them; • persistent: they can be difficult to switch off; • durable: it can be useful to view unhelpful thoughts as prejudices, as they can be hard to change.
