Changing the Way You Think

This slide deck companion to the Changing the Way You Think lesson is designed for group or individual presentation settings, such as treatment sessions, support groups, or psychoeducational classes. It introduces the concept of Automatic Negative Thoughts (ANTs) – the deeply held, often-repeated pessimistic beliefs that distort reality, fuel addiction, and make change feel impossible. The presentation explains how situations trigger thoughts, which drive feelings, which lead to actions, and illustrates how distorted thinking keeps people stuck in destructive cycles. A slide featuring common addiction-related ANTs invites participants to recognize familiar thought patterns in themselves. The core of the presentation walks through the 5Rs of changed thinking – recognize, refute, replace, rehearse, and repeat – with clear explanations and relatable examples for each step. A final section presents positive challenge statements participants can adopt and practice daily. Visually engaging and discussion-friendly, this presentation supports facilitators in delivering the lesson’s key concepts in a group format and can be used alongside the e-lesson, worksheet, and focused journal for a comprehensive learning experience.