Shy No Longer

Module 7

Detective Work and Disputation
Detective Work and Disputation

2

Thought Diary Example

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Thought Diary

5

Module Summary

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About the Modules

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The information provided in this document is for information purposes only. Please refer to the fulldisclaimer and copyright statement available at http://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au regarding the informationon this website before making use of such information.

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Shy No Longer: Detective Work and Disputation
Previously, we established that it is our thoughts that influence our feelings, emotions, and behaviours – thethoughts and feelings connection. We also discussed and identified some unhelpful thinking patterns andstyles that we frequently use. Often, a person with social anxiety will think negative thoughts that arecharacterised by these unhelpful thinking patterns, such as “mind reading” and assuming that people arethinking negatively of them. This leads them to feel even more anxious about future social situations. This,in turn, maintains and perpetuates the anxiety.
The key to changing the way we feel is found in challenging and changing our unhelpful thoughts and beliefs.
This begins with you taking a good hard look at them. Imagine that you are a detective and a lawyer, andyour unhelpful thoughts and beliefs are to be investigated or on trial.
To assess whether or not your thoughts and beliefs are valid, you need to gather and examine evidence.
As such, we liken this process to that of being a detective. Therefore, “D” stands for “Detective Work”
where you look for evidence that does or does not support your thoughts and beliefs. Like all gooddetectives, we need to find out the facts, and gather the evidence. Here are some helpful questions:••••••

What is the evidence (or proof) that my thoughts/beliefs are true?
Is there any evidence that disproves my thoughts/beliefs?
How do I know that my thoughts/beliefs are true?
Are there facts that I’m ignoring or I’ve overlooked?
What other explanations could there possibly be?
How realistic are my thoughts, beliefs, and expectations?

D also stands for ”Disputation.” Remember, you are also like a lawyer, asking questions that challenge
your thoughts, beliefs and expectations, ultimately testing and challenging whether or not they stand true,
and whether they help or hinder you. Here are some other helpful questions to ask yourself:
••
•
•
•

What other ways are there of viewing the situation?
How might someone else view the situation?
If I were not depressed, how might I view the situation differently?
Realistically, what is the likelihood of that happening?
Is it helpful for me to think this way?

Detective work and disputation is about trying to be objective
about our thoughts. It is about analysing them, assessing, andevaluating them to see if they are indeed valid and true, as opposedto accepting these thoughts and believing them without question.

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Turtle Tip
Detective Work andDisputation are alittle like giving yourthoughts a fair trial.
It is especially
important to be as
honest as possible inacknowledging thethoughts you have.

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In Module 5, an example of a Thought Diary was provided for you. We will continue with that example towork through the next steps of the Thought Diary, incorporating what has been discussed in this module(detective work and disputation) and the previous module (unhelpful thinking styles). In the example
provided below, a section on Unhelpful Thinking Styles has been added, while sections A, B, and C of thethought diary remain the same as the example provided in Module 4.

Thought Diary (example)
A

Activating Event

B Beliefs

This may be either: An actual event or asituation, a thought, a mental picture orrecollection.

1.

List all statements that link A to C. Ask yourself:“What was I thinking?” “What was I saying tomyself?” “What was going through my head at thetime?”
2. Find the most distressing (hot) thought andunderline it
3. Rate how much you believe this thought between 0
to 100.

At my brother’s place and a friendof his drops by. He starts talking
to me.

“I wish he wouldn’t talk to me”“He will notice that I look like a'nervous wreck'”CConsequences“I won’t have anything to say”

1. Write down words describing how you feel.
2. Underline the one that is most associatedwith the activating event.
3. Rate the intensity of that feeling (0 to 100).

Thought discovery question: “… and what
does this mean?”“He’ll think I’m an idiot” (85)Anxious (70)
Irritated

Unhelpful Thinking Styles
1.

Jot down any physical sensations you
experienced or actions carried out.

- Heart pounding, sweating,fast breathing- Avoided eye contact

Do you recognise any unhelpful thinking styles you might
have been using? (Mental filter, jumping to conclusions,personalisation, catastrophising, black & white thinking,shoulding & musting, overgeneralisation, labelling, emotional
reasoning, disqualifying/ignoring positives)--Jumping to conclusions - Predictive
thinking
Jumping to conclusions - Mind
Reading,

Note that a section on Unhelpful Thinking Styles has been added to theThought Diary. Look at what you have written in the B section and see if
you can identify any unhelpful thinking styles you might have used.
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The next step requires you to begin doing some Detective Work and Disputation. The example of theThought Diary continues below.

DDetective Work & Disputation

My HOT Thought

He’ll think I’m an idiot
FACTUAL EVIDENCE FOR

FACTUAL EVIDENCE AGAINSTMY HOT THOUGHTMY HOT THOUGHT- Once at a party a few years ago,
- I have had many conversations
someone came and spoke to me,
where people have said that they
and a few minutes later asked me
have enjoyed talking to me, orif I was OK because I looked athat they have appreciated mylittle nervous
opinion – even when I’ve been
anxious when talking to them.
- Sometimes, people have called me
an idiot when I’ve made a mistake - I have spoken to him before and hedidn’t say anything negative- People often call other people“idiots” when they are angry andupset, and most of the time they
don’t mean it
Disputation questions:
How realistic are my thoughts, beliefs, and expectations?

-If I was to ask people who knew me, most people would not say I’m an idiot
Chances are, people are more worried about their own lives and aren’t going to eventhink about how I look
Everyone makes mistakes, so just because I make a mistake now and then doesn’tmean I’m an idiot

If I were not anxious, how might I view the situation differently?

-I might remember that people have said that they have appreciated talking to me
because they are interested in what I have to say

On the next page is a Thought Diary that incorporates all the steps up to this point. If you have completed
Module 5, you might have filled out a Thought Diary. Continue with Detective Work and Disputation tochallenge the unhelpful thoughts and beliefs from your thought diary. If you have not previously filled out athought diary, this might be a good time to do one (see Module 5 for more details on how to start an ABCanalysis).
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Thought Diary
A Activating Event

B Beliefs

This may be either: An actual event or asituation, a thought, a mental picture orrecollection.

1.
2.

3.

List all statements that link A to C. Ask yourself: “Whatwas I thinking?” “What was I saying to myself?” “What wasgoing through my head at the time?”
Find the most distressing (hot) thought and underline it
Rate how much you believe this thought between 0 to 100

C Consequences
1.
2.
3.

Write down words describing how you feel.
Underline the one that is most associatedwith the activating event.
Rate the intensity of that feeling (0 to 100).

Unhelpful Thinking Styles
1.

Jot down any physical sensations you
experienced or actions carried out.

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Do you recognise any unhelpful thinking styles you might have beenusing? (Mental filter, jumping to conclusions, personalisation,catastrophising, black & white thinking, shoulding & musting,overgeneralisation, labelling, emotional reasoning,
disqualifying/ignoring positives)

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D Detective Work & Disputation
Detective Work: Now refer to the hot thought, and ask yourself, “What is the factual evidence for and against myhot thought?”

My HOT ThoughtFACTUAL EVIDENCE FOR

FACTUAL EVIDENCE AGAINSTMY HOT THOUGHTMY HOT THOUGHT

Disputation questions:

What other ways are there of viewing the situation?
If I were not depressed, how would I view the situation?
Realistically, what is the likelihood of that happening?

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Does it really help me to think this way?

Think of some helpful self-statements

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Module Summary•Detective work is about trying to be objective about our thoughts. It is evaluating if we are tuning out
valuable information that may help us feel better•

Detective work requires you to gather evidence for and against your unhelpful thoughts and beliefs,
particularly your hot thought for every activating event•

Disputation is about asking yourself questions that will help you look for other information aroundyou so that you can make an informed decision about your thoughts instead of just accepting them•

Here are some typical detective work and disputation questions: What experiences do I have that show that this thought/belief is not completely true all of thetime?
 What is the evidence for/against my automatic thoughts?
 Are there other ways of viewing the situation?
 How might someone else view the situation?
 I I were giving advice to a friend, what would I say?

•Are there any strengths or positives in me or in the situation that I am overlooking?

In the next module we will
look at how to create
balanced thoughts based onyour detective work anddisputation.

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About The Modules
BACKGROUNDThis module was created in 2003 by Patrick Kingsep at the Centre for Clinical Interventions, under thesupervision of the Centre’s Founding Director, Paula Nathan.
The concepts and strategies in these modules have been developed from evidence-based psychologicalpractice, primarily Cognitive-Behaviour Therapy (CBT). CBT for social anxiety is based on the approachthat anxiety is a result of problematic cognitions (thoughts) and behaviours.

REFERENCES

These are some of the professional references used to create the modules in this information package.
Clark, D. M., & Wells, A. (1995). A cognitive model of social phobia. In R. G. Heimberg, M. R. Liebowitz, D.
A. Hope, & F. R. Schneier (Eds.), Social phobia: Diagnosis, assessment and treatment (pp. 69–93). New
York: Guilford Press.
Heimberg, R. G. & Becker, R. E. (2002). Cognitive-behavioral group therapy for social phobia. New York: Guilford
Press.
Rapee, R. M., & Heimberg, R. G. (1997). A cognitive-behavioral model of anxiety in social phobia. Behaviour Researchand Therapy, 35, 741–756.

“SHY NO LONGER”
This module forms part of:Kingsep, P., & Nathan, P. (2003). Shy No Longer. Perth, Western Australia: Centre for ClinicalInterventions.

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