THE ORIGIN OF ANTS: DR. AMEN’S PERSONAL DISCOVERY

Psychiatrist Dr. Daniel Amen, the founder of Amen Clinics, coined the term ANTs (automatic negative thoughts) to describe how negativity can infest your brain. The idea for the ANTs Dr. Amen describes came after a hard day at work when he had seen four suicidal patients, two teenagers who ran away from home, and two couples who hated their spouses.

When he went home that evening, he was met with an ant infestation in the kitchen. Thousands of the tiny insects were crawling all over. As he cleaned them up, it made him think that his patients were also infested with ANTs (automatic negative thoughts) that were driving their feelings of depression, hopelessness, helplessness, and irritability.

He realized that if he could teach his patients to eliminate the ANTs, it would help them feel happier, have less anxiety, and be better able to get along with others.

HOW YOUR THOUGHTS AFFECT YOUR BRAIN CHEMISTRY

Every thought you have triggers the release of neurochemicals, which are involved in rewiring your brain.

Negative thoughts cause your brain to immediately release chemicals that affect every cell in your body, making you feel bad. The opposite is also true—positive, happy, hopeful thoughts release chemicals that make you feel good.

Your thought patterns can also have long-term effects. Repetitive toxic thinking may promote the buildup of the harmful deposits seen in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease. It may also increase the risk of dementia, according to a 2020 brain-imaging study in the Alzheimer’s & Dementia.

For decades, experts have known that negative thinking is also tightly linked to other mental health disorders, such as clinical depression. In fact, research shows that the reciprocal connection between ruminating thoughts and depression leads to a vicious cycle that prolongs and intensifies symptoms of depression.

ANTs also fuel anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), grief, and other mental health issues. Being plagued by worrisome thoughts can make you feel like a negative person and makes it harder to overcome these problems.

THE MOST COMMON ANTS THAT SABOTAGE MENTAL HEALTH

Learn to spot the different species of ANTs that create emotional distress and fuel negativity. Here are some of the most common negative thought patterns seen among the tens of thousands of patients at Amen Clinics.

All-or-Nothing

This involves thinking that things are either all good or all bad.

Less-Than ANTs

These ANTs pop up when you compare yourself negatively to others.

Just-the-Bad ANTs

This is when you only see the bad in a situation.

Guilt Beatings

Using “should,” “must,” or “ought to” language that leads to guilt and emotional pressure.

Labeling

Assigning harsh or derogatory names to yourself or others, distorting reality and self-esteem.

Fortune Telling

Predicting the worst-case scenario without real evidence, a common pattern in people with anxiety and panic disorders.

Mind Reading

Assuming you know what other people are thinking even though they haven’t told you, often damaging relationships.

If-Only and I’ll-Be-Happy-When ANTs

Arguing with the past and longing for the future.

Blaming

Shifting responsibility onto others, reinforcing a victim mindset and powerlessness.

MEET YOUR ANTEATER: THE TOOL TO RECLAIM CONTROL OVER YOUR THOUGHTS

To stop negative thinking, you need to develop an internal ANTeater. This is critical for your mental health and well-being. Here’s why.

Just because you have a thought has nothing to do with whether it is true. Thoughts lie. They lie a lot, and it is your uninvestigated or unquestioned thoughts that steal your happiness.

If you do not question or correct your erroneous thoughts, you believe them, and you act as if they are 100% true. Allowing yourself to believe every thought you have is the prescription for anxiety disorders, depression, relationship problems, and prolonged grief.

You can learn to eliminate negative thought patterns and replace them with more helpful thoughts that give you a more accurate, fair assessment of any situation. This skill alone can completely change your life if you embrace and practice it. 

Reducing repetitive negative thinking can improve symptoms of anxiety and depression, according to a 2023 study in Psychological Medicine.

Take note, however, that positive thinking is not the answer. It kills way too many people, because they don’t think about the consequences of their actions.

Some anxiety is absolutely critical to good health and success. Pie-in-the-sky thinking and low levels of anxiety are associated with underestimating risks, a lackadaisical attitude toward your health, and making bad decisions. 

The best approach is to adopt accurate, honest thinking. To do so, you need to learn to kill the ANTs.

STEP-BY-STEP: HOW TO KILL THE ANTS

The ANT-killing process used at Amen Clinics is based on the work of two mentors:

• Aaron Beck, a psychiatrist who pioneered a school of psychotherapy called cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which is an effective treatment for anxiety disorders, depression, relationship problems, and even obesity
• Byron Katie, a teacher and author who developed the five questions to challenge thoughts

Related: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy? What Is It and Who Can Benefit?

If you want to learn how to challenge negative thoughts, follow these steps. Whenever you feel sad, mad, nervous, or out of control, do the following:

1. Write down your automatic negative thoughts. The act of writing down the ANTs helps to get the invaders out of your head.

2. Identify the ANT species.

3. Ask yourself the following five questions:

• Is it true?
• Is it absolutely true with 100% certainty?
• How do I feel when I believe this thought?
• How would I feel if I couldn’t have this thought?
• Turn the thought around to its exact opposite, and ask, “Is the opposite of the thought true or even truer than the original thought?” Then use this turnaround as a meditation.

Killing the ANTs takes practice. You can’t just do it once and think you’ve mastered your thinking patterns. When you make it a daily practice to question your thoughts, you will feel freer, less anxious and depressed, and less trapped in past hurts or losses.

THE SCIENCE: ANTEATER TRAINING VS. MEDICATION

If you’re looking for antidepressant alternatives, look no further than killing the ANTs. A 50-year retrospective study comparing the impact of cognitive behavioral therapy to antidepressant medication found that CBT is, on average, as effective as antidepressants.

This means that learning how to challenge negative thoughts is just as beneficial as medication for treating depression and anxiety. And as an added bonus, it doesn’t come with any of the common side effects of antidepressants, such as sexual dysfunction, weight gain, and sleep disturbances.

WHY THIS PRACTICE CHANGES EVERYTHING

Eliminating ANTs reduces overwhelm, lifts mood, strengthens relationships, and creates lasting emotional resilience. It’s one of the keys to rewiring the brain for greater positivity and happiness.

FAQ  

What are Automatic Negative Thoughts (ANTs)?
At Amen Clinics, we define ANTs as automatic negative thoughts (ANTs), those unhelpful, distorted messages your brain sends that fuel anxiety, depression, and emotional pain. These thoughts often happen without your awareness, but with the right tools, you can identify, challenge, and replace them.

How do I stop negative thoughts once they start?
The first step is awareness. At Amen Clinics, we teach patients to spot their ANTs, name them (like mind reading or fortune telling), and use logic to “talk back.” This process is part of what we call ANTeater Training a cognitive strategy that helps rewire the brain toward healthier patterns over time.

Is it true eliminating ANTs works as well as medication?
In many cases, yes. Research shows that learning to identify and challenge negative thought patterns can be just as effective as antidepressants for some people without the side effects. That’s why we include cognitive strategies like ANTeater Training as part of our integrative treatment plans, guided by brain SPECT imaging and your individual needs.