Psychological – Negative Thoughts – KidneyPal

Negative Thoughts

Psychological Domain

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Psychological

In the Psychological Domain, the sociodemographics that were moderately correlated were educational attainment and occupational status. These two factors had a stronger relationship to psychological quality of life (QoL) compared to the other variables, which showed only weak correlations.

Individuals with higher education or stable, fulfilling work are better equipped to handle the emotional challenges of long-term treatment. Education can improve health literacy and self-confidence, while meaningful work provides structure, social connection, and a sense of purpose. Together, these factors play a powerful role in helping patients maintain a positive mindset and emotional resilience throughout their treatment journey.

Negative Thoughts

Repetitive negative thinking patterns, often tied to mental disorders. (WHO, 2022)

General Interventions

(For age, sex, marital status, household income, comorbidities)

1. You should practice cognitive restructuring.

Work on identifying and challenging any negative thoughts you may have, replacing them with more realistic, positive ones (Ali, 2024, p. 10).

2. You should try stress reduction techniques.

Practice deep breathing, guided imagery, or mindfulness to help calm negative thoughts and manage stress (Toussaint et al., 2021, p. 8).

3. You should use positive self-talk

Start replacing negative thoughts with affirmations about your strengths, abilities, and what you have overcome (Francis, 2021, p. 28).

Educational Attainment-Based: Lower Formal Education

1. Start replacing negative thoughts with affirmations about your strengths, abilities, and what you have overcome.

This can help replace any negative self-talk with more constructive thoughts (Tiwari et al., 2025).

2. You are encouraged to engage in activities that bring joy and help shift your focus from negative thoughts.

Doing things you enjoy, like listening to music or spending time with loved ones, can improve your mood (Tiley et al., 2025).

3. You should have someone close to you who can remind you of your worth and support you through difficult times.

This emotional support will help you challenge negative thinking (Ooi et al., 2023).

Educational Attainment-Based: Higher Formal Education

1. You should practice identifying negative thoughts and questioning their accuracy.

Learning to challenge negative thinking can improve your outlook on life (Dorfman et al., 2019).

2. You should reflect on your past successes and strengths to help reframe negative thoughts into more positive, realistic ones.

Recognizing what you’ve accomplished can boost your confidence (Gander et al., 2023).

3. You should try mindfulness practices to help calm your mind and break free from cycles of negative thinking

Mindfulness can help you stay grounded and reduce stress (Bolzenkötter et al., 2024).

Occupational Status-Based: Unemployed

1. You should create a daily routine that includes positive activities

Having a routine can help keep you focused and prevent feelings of purposelessness (Owen, 2025).

2. You are encouraged to focus on personal growth opportunities

This helps shift your focus away from negativity (Yen et al., 2023).

3. You should engage in volunteer work or other meaningful activities that give you a sense of purpose and accomplishment

Helping others can improve your mood and mental health (Wang et al., 2022).

Occupational Status-Based: Employed

1. You should set small, achievable goals at work to help you feel more accomplished and less overwhelmed.

This can give you a sense of control and combat negative thinking at work (Trenz & Keith, 2024).

2. You are encouraged to take regular breaks throughout the day to avoid burnout and manage stress.

Taking breaks helps you recharge and improve your mental well-being (Dianita et al., 2024).

3. Use positive affirmations during tough moments at work to stay focused and counter negative thoughts.

This can help shift your mindset to a more positive one, even during stressful situations (Jhunjhunwala,2022).

References

● Ali, F. (2024). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Transforming negative thinking and promoting mental health. Scientific Research Reports, 1(1), 10. https://sciresearchreports.com/index.php/SRR/article/view/1/1
● Bolzenkötter, T., Neubauer, A. B., & Koval, P. (2024). Impact of a momentary mindfulness intervention on rumination, negative affect, and their dynamics in daily life. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/u4m3r
● Dianita, O., Kitayama, K., Ueda, K., Ishii, H., Shimoda, H., & Obayashi, F. (2024). Systematic micro-breaks affect concentration during cognitive comparison tasks: Quantitative and qualitative measurements. Advances in Computational Intelligence, 4(3). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43674-024-00074-6
● Dorfman, A., Oakes, H., Santos, H. C., & Grossmann, I. (2019). Self-distancing promotes positive emotional change after adversity: Evidence from a micro-longitudinal field experiment. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/k4zfv
● Francis, P. (2021). How to stop negative thoughts and emotions and live a productive life. http://petervickers.cyber-demo-client-website2.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/GET-OUT-OF-YOUR-HEAD-1.pdf
● Gander, F., Wagner, L., & Niemiec, R. (2023). Do character strengths-based interventions change character strengths? Two randomized controlled intervention studies. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/vtnzq
● Jhunjhunwala, T. (2022). The impact of self-affirmation on individuals' stress levels and performance - A longitudinal study. Scripps Senior Theses. https://scholarship.claremont.edu/scripps_theses/1994
● NANDA International. (2021). NANDA Nursing Diagnoses: Definitions and Classification, 16th Edition.+
● Ooi, H. X., Hamzah, A., & Thien, L. M. (2023). The influence of social support on postgraduate students' psychological well-being: Self-esteem as a mediator. Participatory Educational Research, 10(3), 150-166. https://doi.org/10.17275/per.23.49.10.3
● Owen, E. (2025, May 21). The power of routine for mental health. Northern Healthcare. https://www.northernhealthcare.org.uk/news-resources/the-power-of-routine-for-mental-health/?utm_
● Tiley, K., Crellin, R., Domun, T., Harkness, F., & Blodgett, J. M. (2025). Effectiveness of 234 interventions to improve life satisfaction: A rapid systematic review. Social Science & Medicine, 366, 117662. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.117662
● Tiwari, G. K., Parihar, P., Singh, A. K., Macorya, A. K., Shukla, A., Singh, A., Choudhary, A., & Pandey, A. (2025). Understanding the nature and dynamics of self-affirmation in non-depressed and subclinically depressed Indian adults: A thematic analysis. BMC Psychiatry, 25(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-024-06364-0
● Toussaint, L., Nguyen, Q. A., Roettger, C., Dixon, K., Offenbächer, M., Kohls, N., Hirsch, J., & Sirois, F. (2021). Effectiveness of progressive muscle relaxation, deep breathing, and guided imagery in promoting psychological and physiological states of relaxation. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2021, 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/5924040
● Trenz, N., & Keith, N. (2024). Promoting new habits at work through implementation intentions. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 97(4), 1813-1834. https://doi.org/10.1111/joop.12540
● Wang, S., Ling, W., Lu, Z., Wei, Y., Li, M., & Gao, L. (2022). Can volunteering buffer the negative impacts of unemployment and economic inactivity on mental health? Longitudinal evidence from the United Kingdom. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(11), 6809. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19116809
● Yen, H., Lin, G., & Huang, H. (2023). Leisure participation for mental health promotion in later life: A six-year longitudinal study. Journal of Applied Gerontology, 43(6), 650-656. https://doi.org/10.1177/07334648231223299