Name That Distortion
“If I don’t win, I’m a complete loser.”
All-or-Nothing Thinking
“If I’m not perfect, I’m worthless.”
False (All-or-Nothing Thinking)
“I got one question wrong. I’m so dumb.”
“Everyone makes mistakes. One wrong answer doesn’t mean I’m dumb.”
“My friend ignored my text—she must be mad at me.”
Not Real (Mind Reading)
Jordan forgot his line in the school play and thinks, “Everyone thinks I’m stupid now.”
Mind Reading
“I just know they’re all talking about me.”
Mind Reading
“I failed one test, so I’m going to fail the whole class.”
False (Catastrophizing)
“I didn’t get any likes on my post. Nobody likes me.”
“That post didn’t get attention, but it doesn’t mean people don’t like me.”
“I studied hard and prepared well for the test.”
Real
Taylor gets one negative comment and thinks, “Everyone online hates me.”
Overgeneralization
“I made one mistake during my presentation. Now everyone thinks I’m stupid.”
Mental Filter
“Just because I’m nervous doesn’t mean I’ll mess up.”
True
“I tripped in front of everyone. They’re all laughing at me.”
“It was an embarrassing moment, but people forget things quickly.”
“Everyone is staring at me because I’m wearing the wrong shoes.”
Not Real (Personalization)
Lena didn’t get a reply to her message and thinks, “They’re definitely mad at me.”
Jumping to Conclusions
“I didn’t get invited to the party. That means no one likes me.”
Overgeneralization
“My friend was short with me, so they probably hate me now.”
False (Jumping to Conclusions)
“I’m terrible at everything.”
“There are things I struggle with, but also things I’m good at.”
“I didn’t finish the project, so now the whole group will fail.”
Not Real (Catastrophizing)
Chris thinks, “I feel like I’ll mess up this game, so I will.”
Emotional Reasoning
“I feel like a failure, so I must be one.”
Emotional Reasoning
“I didn’t make the team, but that doesn’t mean I’m not good at sports.”
True (Balanced Thinking)
“I always ruin everything.”
“I’ve made some mistakes, but I also do a lot of things right.”
“I’m feeling anxious, but that doesn’t mean something bad will happen.”
Real (Recognizing Emotions vs. Facts)
After missing a shot in basketball, Marcus says, “I ruin everything.”
Labeling or Catastrophizing