Cognitive Distortions
Joan feels like a failure at her eating habits. Every time she eats something that isn't part of her meal plan, instead of acknowledging that she made a mistake and trying to move past it, she gives up and binges for the rest of the day figuring she has already blown it.
All-or-nothing thinking
This type of thinking involves viewing things in absolute terms. Everything is black or white, everything or nothing.
It is lighter than a feather, but you can’t hold it for more than two minutes. What is it?
Your breath
Jamie decided that he wasn't going to ask his boss for a raise because he already knew that the answer was going to be "no", so why even try?
Fortune telling
When you predict events will unfold in a particular way, often to avoid trying something difficult. The expectation that a situation will turn out badly without adequate evidence
An ant can lift 1,000 times its body weight.
False - ants can lift 5,000 times their body weight!
Henry hit a homerun during the last inning of a baseball game and was able to win it for his team. When his teammates celebrated him, Henry felt guilty for striking out earlier in the game. He tells them: "Yeah it's not that big of a deal, the game would not have been that close if I didn't strike out earlier."
Minimization
Downplaying the importance of events, achievements, or mental/physical symptoms.
Ben becomes terribly upset when he notices that his tire is flat. He tells himself, "Just my luck! Bad things like this are always happening to me."
Overgeneralization
It happens when you make a rule after a single event or a series of coincidences. The words "always" or "never" frequently appear in the sentence.
What gets wetter the more it dries?
A towel
Mark was struggling with fatigue, low motivation, and a feelings of worthlessness, but when asked by his friend how he was doing, he responded "I'm doing fine, no problems, just chilling."
Minimization
Downplaying the importance of events, achievements, or mental/physical symptoms.
The Atlantic Ocean is the biggest ocean on Earth.
False - the Pacific Ocean is the largest ocean covering more than 60 million square miles.
Sophia forgot to return a book to the library before it's due date and when she got a fine in the mail, she kept repeating in her head that she is such an idiot for forgetting to return one book on time.
Labeling
A cognitive distortion that involves making a judgment about yourself or someone else as a person, rather than seeing the behavior as something the person did that doesn't define them as an individual.
Cynthia gives a presentation to her colleagues at work and receives many compliments, but also mild criticism from one of her colleagues. She obsesses about the criticism she received for days and ignores all the positive feedback.
Mental filter
Is the opposite of overgeneralization, but with the same negative outcome. Instead of taking one small event and generalizing it inappropriately, the mental filter takes one small event and focuses on it exclusively, filtering out anything else.
What goes up but never comes down?
Your age
Nancy talked herself out taking her dream vacation to Fiji because she couldn't get the "what-if" thoughts out of her mind, like "What if the plane crashes?", "What if I drown while I am swimming?", and "What if I get robbed and I don't have any money?"
Catastrophizing
Seeing only the worst case scenario in any situation. This often leads to indecision, anxiety, fear, worry, and panic.
Infants have more bones than adults.
True - infants are born with approximately 300 bones but have 206 by the time they reach adulthood.
It's the week of Bryce's birthday and he's starting to feel under the weather. He is getting upset because he had COVID-19 last year on his birthday and couldn't do anything. He says to his mom, "I always get sick on my birthday! It's not fair, why is this always happening to just me?"
Overgeneralization
It happens when you make a rule after a single event or a series of coincidences. The words "always" or "never" frequently appear in the sentence.
Joel was awarded employee of the month due to being the salesperson with the most customers that month. When his co-workers are complimenting his work ethic, Joel responds by making self-deprecating comments like "It's really not that big of a deal, anyone could do what I did."
Discounting the positive
Is a cognitive distortion that involves ignoring or invalidating good things that have happened to you.
If you drop me on the ground, I survive. But if you drop me in water, I die. What am I?
Paper
Jake became agitated and upset because he couldn't find his lucky jersey in preparation for the Football game. He told himself "If I am not wearing that jersey my team is going to lose the game."
Fortune Telling
Predicting things will turn out badly
Minnie Mouse’s full name is Wilhelmina Mouse.
False – her real name is Minerva Mouse.
Alyssa won a scholarship for the vice-presidential award for the college she's been wanting to go to. Even though this is a great award and honor, she is angry and upset that she did not get the presidential scholarship and just wishes she didn't even try applying.
Discounting the positive
Is a cognitive distortion that involves ignoring or invalidating good things that have happened to you.
Chad has a crush on this girl that he sees everyday at the coffee shop on his way to work. He decides that he won't speak to her or ask her out on a date because "She probably thinks I'm a freak. She would never date someone like me".
Mind reading
When you think someone is going to react in a particular way, or you believe someone is thinking things that they aren't.
You can hear me, but you cannot see or touch me?
What am I?
Voice
Nick was getting irritated while sitting in traffic on his way to work. He thought to himself "What a mess, obviously people need to learn how to drive."
Jumping to Conclusions
Interpreting the meaning of a situation when there is little to no evidence. Interpreting things negatively when there are no facts to support that conclusion.
President George Washington brought macaroni and cheese to the USA.
False - President Thomas Jefferson gets the credit. He brought the recipe back from Paris, France.
Miranda was told by her boyfriend, Josh, that he would be calling her at 3 PM after he gets off work. It is now almost 3:10 PM and he still never called. "It's been almost ten minutes! I bet he's cheating on me with that one co-worker of his!!"
Jumping to Conclusions
Interpreting the meaning of a situation when there is little to no evidence. Interpreting things negatively when there are no facts to support that conclusion.