The Negative Mind will use every trick to gain the advantage and destroy its victim, prompting him to starve or otherwise harm himself, to undermine treatment, to shun all help and affection, to hurt and drive away loved ones with offensive and unpredictable behavior. The Negative Mind is always contriving methods for mayhem and will do almost anything to achieve the demise of the Actual Mind unless prevented from doing so. In treatment, it serves the therapist to be two moves ahead of the Negative Mind, aware of all of its possible countermoves.

There is no shortcut to reversing this condition. There are however, some principles and strategies that are highly effective in subduing and eradicating the Negative Mind and bringing about the reinterpretation of the sufferers identity.

Recognize that the patient is desperate for help but feels undeserving of it. Sadly, initially therefore, victims find it difficult to reach out for help. They gather courage to do so when they know that others understand their ‘secret’ language. It is imperative to be attuned to the obscure cries for help if they are to be rescued.

In dealing with someone with CNC, we must constantly be aware of the dual mindset. It is essential to separate a sufferer from the condition. We do this so the person understands that the illness is not who he is, but merely an imposter, an emotional ‘parasite’ he is inadvertently hosting.

Because of the relentlessness of the Negative Mind, we must create an alliance with the victim against it. It is helpful to have the sufferer paint pictures of his condition. We ask him to write down what the Negative Mind tells him in one column of a steno pad and the response of the Actual Mind in the second column. This serves to identify the negativity more clearly and therefore fight against it. Using logic, the Actual Mind, he may then question negative comments and use reason to diminish its power. This will strengthen the Actual Mind.

Through the entire recovery process the CNC sufferer may spew negative chatter. Every negative thought must be countered with a positive one. It is essential to respond to every self-defeating outburst with unconditional gentleness and kindness. Offset every negative subjective comment with a positive objective one.