Cognitive Distortions
Thinking in terms of "always," "never," "everyone," or "nobody."
Overgeneralizing
"I don't like how I feel right now, but feelings can change."
rational
True or False:
A behavioral experiment involves testing a prediction in real life.
True
If you were a tree and you had to pick only one animal that would pee on you, what animal would it be?
platypus
Seeing something as completely good or completely bad, with no middle ground.
Labeling/ Black and white thinking
"I feel guilty after eating, so I must have done something wrong."
irrational.
Someone believes:
"If I eat with other people, everyone will notice how much I'm eating."
What could they test?
Eat a meal with other people and observe what actually happens.
"I ate less than I planned, so I completely ruined my recovery."
Give one more balanced way to think about this.
"I didn't follow my plan exactly, but one experience doesn't erase my progress."
Assuming you know what another person is thinking without actually knowing.
what is Mind reading?
Katie didn't say hi to me this morning, she doesn't like me.
Not rational. What other reasons might she not say hi?
Someone believes:
"If I don't follow my food rules perfectly, I won't be able to handle it."
What could be a behavioral experiment?
Intentionally break one manageable food rule and observe what happens to their anxiety and ability to cope.
What is the most practical wild animal to have as a pet?
idek fr
Assuming that because something feels true, it must actually be true.
Emotional Reasoning
My girlfriend is going to break up with me because we had a fight.
Not rational. Healthy relationships fight. What is the bit of truth in this thought?
Put these steps in the correct order:
A. Observe what happens
B. Identify the belief
C. Make a prediction
D. Test the prediction
B → C → D → A
Would you rather be sticky for the rest of your life or itchy for the rest of your life?
sticky
I am going to loose my job and then my housing and I will be homeless.
What is predicting the future?
"I feel uncomfortable eating this food, but feeling uncomfortable doesn't necessarily mean that eating it is unsafe." Why?
Rational
It separates the person's feeling from the fact and recognizes that discomfort doesn't automatically mean danger.
Someone predicts:
"If I eat a feared food, my anxiety will become unbearable and never go away."
What should they pay attention to during the experiment?
Their actual anxiety level, what happens over time, and whether the predicted outcome actually occurs.
A person thinks:
"If I eat this food, something terrible will happen."
What are two questions they could ask themselves to challenge the thought?
"What evidence supports this?"
"What evidence doesn't support this?"
"Am I predicting the future?"
"Have I experienced this outcome before?"
"What is another possible outcome?"