Sideways
Moderator
Perhaps a middle ground - acknowledging the thoughts for what they are, but then giving your brain something else to focus on.Gimme all you've got... throw it at me... I'm a horrible person and everything's awful and always will be and
So instead of "Bring it on, Brain", it's more like "Oh, there's the I'm Useless story again, which I've heard before a thousand times...back to what I was doing...".
Thought diffusion. Takes persistence, because your brain's circuitry has these thoughts on repeat. But, eventually, your brain does give up. The spaces between the thoughts get longer, the thoughts themselves get less overwhelming.
It's an ACT strategy. Usually you couple it with some kind of value-driven behaviour that your brain will really sink it's teeth into.
Whatever - the point is your brain is doing this because that's it's current wiring pattern. But that doesn't mean you need to listen to the "I'm Useless" story every time your brain starts playing it to you. It's not like these stories change, right? Same old, same old. If anything, listening just makes them go on longer.
"Thanks Brain, but I don't need to hear that story out again, because I'm watching my favourite movie right now."