Cognitive Distortions
Joan's grades are normally above average but last week she got a D on her history exam. Instead of acknowledging the lower grade and studying harder, Joan gives up on learning history, 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.
Pam just returned from a family trip late last night. Pam missed the bus to school this morning and as she was walking along the sidewalk, a car drove through a puddle and splashed her. Pam thinks, "This is all my fault for not waking up on time."
Personalizing
You attribute a most of the blame to yourself for negative events and fail to see that certain situations are also caused by others.
Jamie decided that he wasn't going to ask his teacher for an assignment extension 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
A student thinks: "My professor seemed flustered in our meeting and rushed me through my questions, he doesn't like me.“
Mind reading (Jumping to Conclusions)
When you think someone is going to react in a particular way, or you believe someone is thinking things that they aren't.
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.
Jenna feels ashamed and embarrassed about failing several of her classes. She tells herself that since she feels like a failure, she "must really be a worthless loser that will never amount to anything."
Emotional reasoning
A way of judging yourself or your circumstances based on your emotions. You assume that your negative emotions reflect the way things really are.
Steve is failing all of his classes. He spends his class time scrolling on his phone and hasn't opened his textbooks all semester. When explaining his report card to his parents, Steve said, "It's my teachers' faults, they just don't know how to teach!"
Blaming
You focus on the other person as the source of your negative feelings and refuse to take responsibility for changing yourself
Bianca posted a selfie because she liked her new outfit. One of her followers commented saying that her outfit is trash. Bianca ends up deleting that picture and now wants to get rid of her whole wardrobe and buy new clothes since she is not fashionable at all.
All-or-nothing thinking
This type of thinking involves viewing things in absolute terms. Everything is black or white, everything or nothing.
Cynthia gives a presentation to her classmates and receives many compliments, but also mild criticism from one of her peers. She obsesses about the criticism she received for days and ignores all the positive feedback.
Mental filter
Instead of taking one small event and generalizing it inappropriately like in overgeneralization, the mental filter takes small (negative) events and focuses on them exclusively, filtering out anything else.
Cheryl has difficulty completing tasks at school and often tells herself "I really should be able to get this done, it's not that hard. There must be something wrong with me."
"Should" Statements
These statements are self-defeating ways we talk to ourselves that emphasize unattainable standards. Then, when we fall short of our own ideas, we fail in our own eyes, which can create panic and anxiety.
Nancy talked herself out trying out for the school play, believing she would messed up her lines. Messing up her lines would then make her an outcast for the rest of her time in school, and she would have no friends.
Catastrophizing
Seeing only the worst case scenario in any situation. This often leads to indecision, anxiety, fear, worry, and panic.
Anne has had a long day at school and when she got home, she raised her voice at her family for asking about her day when she walked in the door. She does not often yell at her family. She feels guilty and thought to herself: "I should always be able to control my anger"
"Should" Statements
These statements are self-defeating ways we talk to ourselves that emphasize unattainable standards. Then, when we fall short of our own ideas, we fail in our own eyes, which can create panic and anxiety.
Joel was awarded student of the month due to his volunteer work with the younger students. When his peers are complimenting his work, Joel responds by making self-deprecating comments like "It's really not that big of a deal, anyone could do what I did."
Disqualifying positives
Is a cognitive distortion that involves ignoring or invalidating the positive aspects of a situation.
Shannon often tells herself that she is "an idiot" when things don't work out the way she hopes or when she makes small mistakes. She struggles in relationships with her peers because "they are all a bunch of useless morons".
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.
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
Cara has been struggling to get along with her brother, parents, friends, and teammates. While venting to her best friend, Cara says, "I'm just being real and no one can take it."
Blaming
You focus on the other person as the source of your negative feelings and refuse to take responsibility for changing yourself.
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.
Anna blamed herself for verbal abuse by her friends, reasoning that if she hadn't messed up so much, it never would have happened.
Personalization
A cognitive distortion whereby you entirely blame yourself for a situation that in reality involved many factors and was out of your control.
Nick was getting irritated while sitting in traffic on his way to practice. He thought to himself "What a mess, obviously my coach is going to think I'm irresponsible for being late."
Mind reading
You assume you know what people thinking without having evidence or proof of their thoughts
Darlene came into school one morning and her homeroom teacher told her she is needed at the front office. She began to panic and think: "Is someone mad at me? What do they want to talk to me about? I am sure I'm getting in trouble! Then I won't be able to get into college or get a good job!"
Catastrophizing
Seeing only the worst case scenario in any situation. This often leads to indecision, anxiety, fear, worry, and panic.