Name that Thinking Error! Part 1
Seeing only the worst possible outcomes of a situation.
Catastrophizing
The belief that things should be a certain way.
“Should” Statements
Magical Thinking
"My test scores are so awful, I'm going to end up living in a van down by the river."
Catastrophizing
Can help you challenge cognitive distortions.
The Cognitive Triangle
Thinking in absolutes such as “always”, “never”, or “every”
All or Nothing Thinking or Black and White Thinking
Making broad interpretations from a single or few events.
Overgeneralization
"My girlfriend looks really upset. I must have done something to make her mad."
Personalization
"I should never tell my friends how I feel, I should be strong for them."
"Should" Statements
Recognizing only the negative aspects of a situation while ignoring the positive.
Disqualifying the Positive
Exaggerating the importance of events.
Magnification
Minimizing the importance of events
Minimization
"Everyone stopped talking when I walked over. They must be trash talking me"
Jumping to Conclusions
"Just because Amy says I'm a good friends doesn't mean I am one."
Disqualifying the Positive
The assumption that emotions reflect the way things really are.
Emotional Reasoning
The belief that one is responsible for events outside of their own control.
Personalization
Interpreting the meaning of a situation with little or no evidence.
Jumping to Conclusions
"I got a bad grade on my speech. I'm always terrible at giving speeches."
Overgeneralization
"I always get get left on read"
All or Nothing Thinking
"Glinda isn't going to like me because she's so popular."
Fortune Telling
Interpreting the thoughts and beliefs of others without adequate evidence.
Mind Reading
The expectation that a situation will turn out a certain way without adequate evidence.
Fortune Telling
"There's no way I'm the cause of my friends bad mood just cause I made fun of their shirt."
Minimization
"Hank said he was busy tonight. He must not want to hang out because he thinks I'm annoying."
Mind Reading
Magnification