Definitions
Seeing only the worst possible outcomes of a situation
Catastrophizing
Making broad interpretations from a single or few events
Overgeneralization
"If I tell my friends I’m trying to quit, they’ll just laugh at me and pressure me to use."
Jumping to conclusions
Avoid thinking in absolutes and acknowledge the complexity of situations
Shades of Gray
What can I do to combat my personalization cognitive distortions???
Double Standard Method
Interpreting the meaning of a situation with little or no evidence
Jumping to conclusions
The belief that thoughts, actions, or emotions influence unrelated situations.
Magical thinking
"I had a good week without drinking, but that doesn’t matter because I’ll probably mess up again soon."
Disqualifying the positive or Mental filtering
Encourage self-compassion by comparing how we treat ourselves versus others
Double Standard Method
I am struggling with fortune telling cognitive distortions!!!
Examine the Evidence
The expectation that a situation will turn out badly without adequate evidence
The assumption that emotions reflect the way things really are
Emotional reasoning
"I feel anxious and unhappy, so using substances is the only way to cope with these feelings."
Emotional reasoning
Recognize flawed patterns of thinking
Identify the Distortion
I tend to think in absolutes. I will ALWAYS be a failure. I will NEVER get sober.
Shades of Gray
The belief that you are responsible for events outside of your control
Personalization
Disqualifying the positive or Mental filtering
"It’s not a big deal that I use drugs on weekends; everyone else does it, and I can stop whenever I want."
Minimization
Focuses on language used in self-talk to reduce emotional intensity
Semantic Method
I can't stop catastrophizing. I am doomed.
Cost-Benefit Analysis
Irrational thoughts that shape how you see the world, how you feel, and how you act.
Cognitive Distortions
Exaggerating or minimizing the importance of events.
Magnification or minimization
"I have to be perfect in my recovery, or it's not worth trying."
All-or-nothing thinking
Analyze the validity of these thoughts to help challenge and disprove them
Examine the Evidence
I should be much further in my recovery right now but I keep failing. I should be better at this. I should be able to stop.
Setting Realistic Goals