cognitive distortions
Thinking in absolutes (black and white categories)
All or Nothing thinking
using words like should, must, out to, or have to
should/must thinking
feeling down, fear, worry
emotions
I am enough, I am strong, I am proud of myself
affirmations
increased heartrate, shortness of breath, choking, dizziness
physical
assigning labels to ourselves or others
labeling
discounting the good things that have happened
disqualifying the positive
replaying interpersonal interactions or performance experience
mental images
5 things I can see, 4 things I can feel. 3 things I can hear, 2 things I can smell, 1 thing I can taste/ 1 good thing about myself
54321 (grounding exercises)
avoidance, escape, restlessness, pacing
behavioral
imagining we know what others are thinking
jumping to conclusions
seeing a pattern based upon a single event or being overly broad in conclusions we draw
over-generalizing
racing heartbeat, lightheadedness, tightness in chest
physical state
breathe using the diaphragm. Let the breath reach the bottom of the lungs, and let the chest and shoulders relax. High, shallow chest breathing is stressful and gives messages of stress to the brain.
breathing exercises/ correct breathing
feeling nervous, tense, wound up
emotional
assuming because we feel a certain way, what we think must be true
emotional reasoning
blowing things out of proportion or inappropriately shrinking something to make it seem less important
magnification and minimization
attending social events, meeting with a professor, spending time with friends
presence of others
Gently roll your head and shoulders many times a day. Also, gently stretch other areas of the body that may need it
stretching
Share a symptom of anxiety you experience
personal answer no right or wrong
Only paying attention to certain types of evidence (dwelling on negatives)
Mental Filter
blaming yourself for something you weren't entirely responsible for or blaming others and overlooking ways you may have contributed to the outcome
personalization
feeling pressured to make friends, feeling pressured to perform well in school/work
social pressure
Place one hand on our stomach and one on our chest. You want to feel the hand on our stomach move in and out more than the hand on our chest. Take a deep breath in through your nose. As you inhale you count in your mind 1…2…3…4 and you imagine using the air you breathe in to push against your hand on your stomach. Hold for a count of 4. Then you exhale through your mouth like you are blowing out a candle. Exhale for a count of 1…2…3…4
square breathing
fear of losing control, fear of going crazy, poor memory
cognitive