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Joan feels like a failure at her eating habits. Every time she eats something that isn't part of her meal plan, instead of acknowledging that she made a mistake and trying to move past it, she gives up and binges for the rest of the day figuring she has already blown it.
All-or-nothing thinking
This type of thinking involves viewing things in absolute terms. Everything is black or white, everything or nothing.
Luke works as a model and is told all the time that he is attractive, but all he sees when he looks in the mirror is that his nose seems to big for his face. He tells himself "I'm not attractive at all, in fact because of my nose I'm ugly."
Magnification
Exaggerating the importance of shortcomings and problems while minimizing the importance of desirable qualities.
Jamie decided that he wasn't going to ask his boss for a raise because he already knew that the answer was going to be "no", so why even try?
Fortune telling
When you predict events will unfold in a particular way, often to avoid trying something difficult. The expectation that a situation will turn out badly without adequate evidence
George has to give a presentation for work that he has been practicing all week for. When the day comes he has to present, he feels incredibly nervous. Since he feels that nervous, he thinks he is going to fail in front of his bosses.
Emotional reasoning
A way of judging yourself or your circumstances based on your emotions. You assume that your negative emotions reflect the way things really are.
Henry hit a homerun during the last inning of a baseball game and was able to win it for his team. When his teammates celebrated him, Henry felt guilty for striking out earlier in the game. He tells them: "Yeah it's not that big of a deal, the game would not have been that close if I didn't strike out earlier."
Minimization
Downplaying the importance of events, achievements, or mental/physical symptoms.
Ben becomes terribly upset when he notices that his tire is flat. He tells himself, "Just my luck! Bad things like this are always happening to me."
Overgeneralization
It happens when you make a rule after a single event or a series of coincidences. The words "always" or "never" frequently appear in the sentence.
Jenna feels ashamed and embarrassed about failing several of her college classes. She tells herself that since she feels like a failure, she "must really be a worthless loser that will never amount to anything."
Emotional reasoning
A way of judging yourself or your circumstances based on your emotions. You assume that your negative emotions reflect the way things really are.
Mark was struggling with fatigue, low motivation, and a feelings of worthlessness, but when asked by his friend how he was doing, he responded "I'm doing fine, no problems, just chilling."
Minimization
Downplaying the importance of events, achievements, or mental/physical symptoms.
Bianca posted a selfie on Instagram because she liked her new outfit. One of her followers commented saying that her outfit is not in style. Bianca ends up deleting that picture and now wants to get rid of her whole wardrobe and buy new clothes since she is not fashionable at all.
All-or-nothing thinking
This type of thinking involves viewing things in absolute terms. Everything is black or white, everything or nothing.
Sophia forgot to return a book to the library before it's due date and when she got a fine in the mail, she kept repeating in her head that she is such an idiot for forgetting to return one book on time.
Labeling
A cognitive distortion that involves making a judgment about yourself or someone else as a person, rather than seeing the behavior as something the person did that doesn't define them as an individual.
Cynthia has to give a presentation to her colleagues at work. She gets sad because she knows she is going to do terrible, even though she is prepared for it.
Fortune Telling
The expectation that a situation will turn out badly without adequate evidence.
Cheryl has difficulty completing tasks at school and often tells herself "I really should be able to get this done, it's not that hard. There must be something wrong with me."
"Should" Statements
These statements are self-defeating ways we talk to ourselves that emphasize unattainable standards. Then, when we fall short of our own ideas, we fail in our own eyes, which can create panic and anxiety.
Nancy talked herself out taking her dream vacation to Fiji because she couldn't get the "what-if" thoughts out of her mind, like "What if the plane crashes?", "What if I drown while I am swimming?", and "What if I get robbed and I don't have any money?"
Catastrophizing
Seeing only the worst case scenario in any situation. This often leads to indecision, anxiety, fear, worry, and panic.
Anne has had a long day at work and when she got home, she raised her voice at her kids for not taking out the chicken from the freezer. She does not often yell at her kids. She feels guilty and thought to herself: "I should always be able to control my anger"
"Should" Statements
These statements are self-defeating ways we talk to ourselves that emphasize unattainable standards. Then, when we fall short of our own ideas, we fail in our own eyes, which can create panic and anxiety.
It's the week of Bryce's birthday and he's starting to feel under the weather. He is getting upset because he had COVID-19 last year on his birthday and couldn't do anything. He says to his mom, "I always get sick on my birthday! It's not fair, why is this always happening to just me?"
Overgeneralization
It happens when you make a rule after a single event or a series of coincidences. The words "always" or "never" frequently appear in the sentence.
Joel was awarded employee of the month due to being the salesperson with the most customers that month. When his co-workers are complimenting his work ethic, Joel responds by making self-deprecating comments like "It's really not that big of a deal, anyone could do what I did."
Discounting the positive
Is a cognitive distortion that involves ignoring or invalidating good things that have happened to you.
Shannon often tells herself that she is "an idiot" when things don't work out the way she hopes or when she makes small mistakes. She struggles in relationships with her co-workers because "they are all a bunch of useless morons".
Labeling
A cognitive distortion that involves making a judgment about yourself or someone else as a person, rather than seeing the behavior as something the person did that doesn't define them as an individual.
Jake became agitated and upset because he couldn't find his lucky jersey in preparation for the Football game. He told himself "If I am not wearing that jersey my team is going to lose the game."
Fortune Telling
Predicting things will turn out badly
Reese has been struggling with acne her whole life. When it came time for Homecoming, she had a few new breakouts and wanted to stay home from the dance. When her mom tried to usher her to go, she said: "I can't go when I have this pizza face! These zits make me so hideous!"
Magnification
Exaggerating the importance of shortcomings and problems while minimizing the importance of desirable qualities.
Alyssa won a scholarship for the vice-presidential award for the college she's been wanting to go to. Even though this is a great award and honor, she is angry and upset that she did not get the presidential scholarship and just wishes she didn't even try applying.
Discounting the positive
Is a cognitive distortion that involves ignoring or invalidating good things that have happened to you.
Chad has a crush on this girl that he sees everyday at the coffee shop on his way to work. He decides that he won't speak to her or ask her out on a date because "She probably thinks I'm a freak. She would never date someone like me".
Mind reading
When you think someone is going to react in a particular way, or you believe someone is thinking things that they aren't.
Anna blamed herself for physical abuse by her significant other, reasoning that if she hadn't made them angry and messed up so much, it never would have happened (this is actually what her S.O. had told her at the time). Because she personalized the abuse, she often tried to please others to avoid them being angry with her, even if she was miserable.
Personalization and blame
A cognitive distortion whereby you entirely blame yourself, or someone else, for a situation that in reality involved many factors and was out of your control.
Nick was getting irritated while sitting in traffic on his way to work. He thought to himself "What a mess, obviously people need to learn how to drive."
Jumping to Conclusions
Interpreting the meaning of a situation when there is little to no evidence. Interpreting things negatively when there are no facts to support that conclusion.
Darlene came into work one morning and had a note on her desk to speak to her supervisor as soon as possible. She began to panic and think: "Is she mad at me? What does she want to talk to me about? I am sure I'm getting fired! Then I'll lose my house since I can't pay the bills!"
Catastrophizing
Seeing only the worst case scenario in any situation. This often leads to indecision, anxiety, fear, worry, and panic.
Miranda was told by her boyfriend, Josh, that he would be calling her at 3 PM after he gets off work. It is now almost 3:10 PM and he still never called. "It's been almost ten minutes! I bet he's cheating on me with that one co-worker of his!!"
Jumping to Conclusions
Interpreting the meaning of a situation when there is little to no evidence. Interpreting things negatively when there are no facts to support that conclusion.