What Thinking Trap is that...
Imagining we know what will happen in the future.
What is Fortune Telling
Labelling
Assigning labels to ourselves or others
Thinking "I'm completely useless."
What is Labelling
"I should never feel certain emotions, such as anger or jealousy."
What is Should Statements
You have the thought "I'm never going to get any better" stuck in your head.
What is...
Just take one day at a time
I've changed before, I can do it again
I'm doing the best I can with what I have in this moment
When you assign yourself or others into a specific category.
What is Labelling
Disqualifying the Positive
What is discounting the good things that have happened
I feel so embarrassed, so I must have made a complete fool of myself.
What is Emotional Reasoning
You ask about getting promoted and the boss says, "We will review you next month" & your response is "I'll never get the promotion."
What is Overgeneralization
You have the thought "I'm not good enough."
What is...
I am too hard on myself
Others opinions do not matter
When you only see things in extremes.
What is Black & White Thinking/ All or Nothing Thinking
Minimization
One friend gets angry at you and you think "Nobody likes me, I'm totally unlovable and selfish."
What is Black & White Thinking (also, Overgeneralizing or Labelling)
You think "My partner is late, they must have gotten into a car accident."
What is Magnification/ Catastrophizing
You have the thought "Everyone is going to notice/ judge me when I return to school/ work."
What is...
Everyone is probably focused on themselves
Most people may not have noticed I was gone
No one knows the reason I was gone
When you assume that because you feel an emotion, it must mean your thoughts are accurate.
What is emotional reasoning
Mind Reading
What is imagining we know what others are thinking
Thinking about the one person you didn't have a smooth conversation with at the party, rather than the three people with whom you had great conversations with.
What is Mental Filter
Your boss states "You have made great progress and are ready for a promotion." Worker replies "It's nothing, they're just saying that."
What is Disqualifying the Positive
Last time I did a presentation I totally bombed it, so this time is going to be just as bad, or maybe worse...
What is...
Even though last time was not great, I've also given good presentations before
I have prepared for this presentation in order to do my best
Only paying attention to certain pieces of evidence.
What is Mental Filter
Personalization/ Blame
What is blaming yourself or taking responsibility for something that isn't completely your fault
or
Blaming other people for something that was your fault
Thinking "No one is going to talk to me at the party tonight, they probably think I'm boring."
What is Jumping to Conclusions (both Mind Reading & Fortune Telling); can also include Labelling
Telling yourself when someone else is struggling, "I should have tried harder or done better." and believing that because you didn't is why they're struggling.
What is Personalization/ Blaming Self
You have the thought "I've been practicing these skills and nothing seems to work"
What is...
Even though this skill does not work for me, there are more to choose from