Name that Cognitive Distortions 1
You see things in terms of black or white, right or wrong, good or bad with no in-between thinking.
What is All or Nothing Thinking?
(Inflexible thinking, polarized thinking, black-and-white thinking)
You take one experience and generalize it across many similar experiences.
What is overgeneralization?
She hasn’t replied to my message; she must be angry with me.
What is mind reading?
What is Reframe?
Another term for cognitive distortions
What are Thinking Errors?
(Thinking traps, automatic negative thoughts)
You focus on the negative experiences in your life and ignore the positive experiences.
What is disqualifying the positive?
(Negative Focus)
You hold others responsible for events in your life without taking accountability for yourself.
What is blaming?
I don't want to talk about my problems, it will only make me feel worse.
What is avoidance?
What is the first step when you are having unhelpful thoughts?
Name/label/notice it
What is perspective taking?
Seeing things from someone else's point of view; seeing things a different way
You make assumptions without any valid evidence.
What is jumping to conclusions?
You think that if you change one aspect of your life, all other aspects will automatically improve as well.
What is fallacy of change?
I should always be nice, no matter how I feel.
What is a should statement?
Name and reframe this cognitive distortion.
"He didn't say hello to me when he saw me, so he must be mad at me."
What is Jumping to Conclusions?
Ex: He might be in a rush to get to class.
Describe the cognitive distortion: Labeling and Mislabeling.
What is assigning negative labels to yourself or mislabeling the negative event as a reflection of your entire self.
You expect the worst-case scenario to happen every time.
What is catastrophizing?
You take personal responsibility for events that are outside of your control.
What is Personalization?
What is Magnification and Minimization?
This is how you could overcome Avoidance.
Ex: She doesn't fly on planes because she gets anxious that it might crash.
What is facing your fears?
Ex. Everyone gets a bandaid, even though everyone has different ailments.
You assume that you know how someone else if feeling without asking them.
What is Mind Reading?
This cognitive distortion leads to more cognitive distortions as a result of not facing your fears.
What is avoidance?
I feel anxious about this appointment, so it’s going to go badly.
What is emotional reasoning?
You are feeling like you don't have any friends anymore. What would be an example of a downward thought spiral and a reframe to go to an upward thought spiral?
Downward spiral: No one likes me, I'm a loser, I will never have any friends
Upward spiral: I haven't really tried to make friends lately. Tomorrow I will sit with a new person and get to know them.
The difference between Using Feelings as Facts and Emotional Reasoning.
Using feelings as facts: using feelings to make decisions rather than facts
Emotional Reasoning: Because you feel that way, it must be true