Core Beliefs 1
The belief that one isn't good enough, can't do anything right, or is a loser.
What is Failure?
The belief that one is unsafe and in some way overly susceptible to being hurt.
What is Vulnerability?
We use this distortion to protect ourselves from hurt feelings by creating excuses for events in life that don't go your way or for poor choices you make.
What is Rationalization?
This distortion involves predicting that you know what someone else is thinking.
What is Mind Reading?
In CBT, what occurs before feelings?
What are thoughts?
The belief that one is not likable or lovable, that nobody cares about them, and they can't make or keep friends or romantic relationships. If you are a people-please, this is the belief that is involved.
What is approval seeking?
The belief that one must inhibit one's emotions because to do so would be unacceptable or harmful in some way.
What is Emotional Inhibition?
This cognitive distortion refers to a tendency to see things in black and white categories with no considerations for gray.
What is All-Or-Nothing Thinking?
This distortion creates guilt and may contain words and phrases such as "ought to, must, has to, needs to, and supposed to".
What are Should Statements?
In CBT, what comes before behaviors?
What are feelings?
The belief that one has no value or is unworthy or is "damaged goods".
What is Worthlessness or Defectiveness?
The belief that one will not get emotional needs met, so they often don't even try.
This cognitive distortion involves anticipating things will turn out badly and that the prediction is already an established fact.
What is Fortune-telling?
Assuming negative feelings reflect the way things really are.
What is Emotional Reasoning?
Another word for Magnification.
What is catastrophizing?
The belief that significant others in one's life will leave or won't be there for them or that they will not be able to tolerate being alone.
What is Abandonment?
The belief that one must turn control over their lives to others or maing efforts not to be controlled or controlling.
What is Subjugation?
This cognitive distortion insists that the good things that happen "don't count".
What is Discounting the Positive?
This belief involves seeing yourself as the cause of some external negative event.
What is Personalization?
This core belief not covered in the other categories involves the belief of: "I have to have it now!"
What is Insufficient Self-Control?
The belief that others are untrustworthy.
What is Mistrust?
This filter often involves the belief that one is special, better, or more deserving than others.
What is Entitlement?
This distortion is responsible for society's -isms (sexism, racism, ableism, etc)
What is Overgeneralization?
This distortion can be summed up as "making mountains out of mole hills."
What is Magnification?
This core belief was not covered in the other categories and can lead to sadistic, masochistic, or self-harming behaviors.
What is punishment?