Name That Distortion
Believing one mistake means you're a total failure.
What is all-or-nothing thinking?
"I’ll never get better."
What’s a more helpful thought? → “Recovery takes time, and I can make progress.”
You don’t get a text back and assume the person hates you.
What is mind reading or catastrophizing?
“I messed up that meeting. I’m terrible at my job.”
“Everyone makes mistakes. I can learn from this.”
Assuming people are mad at you without any evidence.
What is mind reading?
"If I don’t do it perfectly, it’s not worth doing."
More helpful thought → “Doing my best is good enough.”
You forgot your lines in a speech and think, “Everyone thinks I’m stupid.”
What is personalization?
“Nothing ever works out for me.”
“Some things haven’t worked out, but not everything. There have been good moments too.”
Only noticing the bad parts of a situation.
What is mental filtering?
"Everyone must think I’m weak."
More helpful thought → “I can’t read minds. People may not be thinking about me at all.”
You got 4 positive comments and 1 negative, but only remember the negative.
What is mental filtering?
“If I feel anxious, I won’t be able to handle it.”
“I’ve handled anxiety before. I have tools I can use.”
Predicting something bad will happen without proof.
What is fortune telling?
"One bad day means I’m back to square one."
More helpful thought → “One setback doesn’t erase all my progress.”
Your partner cancels plans and you think, “They never care about me.”
What is overgeneralization or black-and-white thinking?
“My friend didn’t text me back—she must be mad at me.”
“There could be many reasons she didn’t text. I won’t assume the worst.”
Believing your emotions are facts.
What is emotional reasoning?
"I should be able to handle this on my own."
More helpful thought → “It’s okay to ask for help when I need it.”
You wake up anxious and decide your day is ruined.
What is emotional reasoning?
“People are judging me all the time.”
“Most people are focused on themselves, not on judging me.”