Cognitive Distortions

Do you ever catch yourself thinking something like:
“I always mess things up”
“They’re definitely mad at me”
“If I’m not perfect, I’ve failed”

These are called cognitive distortions.  They are patterns of thinking that feel true in the moment, but aren’t actually accurate.  It is our brain using shortcuts to make sense of the world as quickly as possible, especially when we are stressed, anxious, or overwhelmed.  However, over time, these thoughts can shape how we feel and act without us even realizing it.

Here are the most common ones you might notice:
Magnification and minimization: Exaggerating or minimizing the importance of events. You might believe your own achievements are unimportant or that your mistakes are excessively important.
Catastrophizing: Seeing only the worst possible outcomes of a situation.
Overgeneralization: Making broad interpretations from a single or few events. “I felt awkward during my job interview. I am always so awkward”
Magical thinking: The belief that thoughts, actions, or emotions influence unrelated situations. "If I hadn't hoped something bad would happen to him, he wouldn't have gotten into an accident"
Personalization: The belief that you are responsible for events outside of your control. “My mom is always upset. She would be fine if I did more to help her”
Jumping to conclusions: Interpreting the meaning of a situation with little or no evidence.
Mind reading: Interpreting the thoughts and beliefs of others without adequate evidence. “She
wouldn’t go on a date with me. She probably thinks I’m ugly”
Fortune telling: The expectation that a situation will turn out badly without adequate evidence.
Emotional reasoning: The assumption that emotions reflect the way things really are. “I feel like a bad friend, therefore I must be a bad friend”
Disqualifying the positive: Recognizing only the negative aspects of a situation while ignoring the positive. You might receive many compliments on an evaluation, but focus on the single piece of negative feedback.
“Should” statements: The belief that things should be a certain way. “I should always be perfect”
All-or-nothing/black-and-white thinking: Thinking in absolutes such as “always,” “never,” or “every.” “I never do a good enough job on anything”

Pay attention to your thoughts and see if you can identify using any of them in day-to-day life.

​Keep an eye out for next week's post about ways to diffuse these types of thinking!

​