Which of the following strategies can be used to interrupt a cycle of negative thinking and positively impact your mental health?

• A. Practicing mindfulness techniques such as deep breathing or meditation
• B. Ignoring negative thoughts and hoping they go away on their own
• C. Isolating yourself from social support
• D. Engaging in excessive rumination about past mistakes

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that negative thinking often involves repetitive, unhelpful thought patterns that can affect mental health adversely.
2. Recognize that interrupting this cycle requires active strategies that promote awareness and control over your thoughts.
3. Identify mindfulness techniques such as deep breathing or meditation as methods that help increase present-moment awareness and reduce automatic negative thinking.
4. Contrast these with less effective strategies like ignoring thoughts, isolating oneself, or excessive rumination, which tend to reinforce negative patterns rather than interrupt them.
5. Conclude that practicing mindfulness techniques is a constructive way to break the cycle of negative thinking and improve mental well-being.