Metacognitive therapy.

Feeling stuck in a cycle of anxious thoughts? Do you find yourself constantly worrying and trying to figure out why you feel this way? You’re not alone. Many people struggle with unhelpful thinking patterns that can lead to anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges. Metacognitive Therapy (MCT) offers a new way to manage these struggles by focusing on how you relate to your thoughts, rather than the thoughts themselves.

Imagine your mind as a busy highway filled with thoughts speeding by. Some are helpful, guiding you forward. Others take you down frustrating dead ends. Traditional therapy often focuses on the content of these thoughts—the what—by challenging or changing them. But MCT shifts the focus to the how—how you respond to your thoughts and the beliefs you have about your thinking.

What Is Metacognitive Therapy?

Metacognitive Therapy (MCT) focuses on the idea that psychological distress is caused by a pattern of unhelpful thinking called the Cognitive Attentional Syndrome (CAS). CAS keeps negative thoughts and emotions going through certain thinking habits, such as:

• Worry: Constantly thinking about future problems that may never happen.
• Rumination: Replaying past events in your mind, trying to figure out “why” they happened.
• Threat Monitoring: Always scanning for danger, whether in your surroundings or within yourself.
• Suppression: Trying to push negative thoughts away, which often makes them stronger.

But what fuels these habits? MCT suggests that it’s your metacognitive beliefs—the beliefs you hold about your thoughts and how your mind works. These beliefs shape how you react to the thoughts that come up.

Examples of Metacognitive Beliefs

Positive Beliefs: “Worrying helps me prepare,” or “Thinking about the past will help me understand myself better.” These might seem useful, but they can actually keep you stuck in a cycle of overthinking.

Negative Beliefs: “I can’t control my thoughts,” “My thoughts are dangerous,” or “If I don’t figure this out, I’ll go crazy.” These beliefs can increase anxiety and distress, leading to even more worry and rumination.

MCT helps people break free from these unhelpful thinking patterns by changing their relationship with their thoughts rather than trying to change the thoughts themselves.

What Can MCT Help With?

MCT is useful for treating many mental health issues, including:

• Anxiety disorders
• Depression
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Generalized worry and stress

If you struggle with constant negative thoughts or find yourself trapped in cycles of worry, MCT might be a helpful approach.

Key Techniques in MCT

MCT introduces simple but powerful techniques to help people manage their thoughts:

• Detached Mindfulness: This means learning to observe your thoughts without reacting to them. Instead of trying to fight or change negative thoughts, you let them pass by like clouds in the sky.
• Attention Training Technique (ATT): This exercise helps you strengthen control over your attention. It’s like a workout for your brain, training it to focus on what you choose instead of being pulled into endless worry.
• Challenging Unhelpful Beliefs: MCT helps people question beliefs like “I need to worry to stay safe” or “If I don’t think about this, something bad will happen.” By changing these beliefs, people learn to let go of unnecessary worry.

How is MCT Different from CBT?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Metacognitive Therapy (MCT) both help people manage negative thoughts, but they do so in different ways. CBT focuses on what you think by challenging and replacing negative thoughts with more balanced ones. It encourages you to examine whether your thoughts are true and reshape them more healthily.

On the other hand, MCT focuses on how you think. Instead of analyzing each thought, MCT teaches you to step back, observe your thoughts, and avoid getting stuck in overthinking. If CBT hasn’t worked for you, MCT might be a good alternative, as it helps you change your relationship with your thoughts rather than the thoughts themselves.

How to Get Started with MCT

If you’re interested in MCT, the first step is finding a therapist trained in this method. Platforms like Meela can match you with the right professional based on your needs. Want to stop overthinking and start feeling better? Explore therapy options with Meela today.