What are Cognitive Distortions?
What is a cognitive distortion?
irrational, unpleasant, and unhelpful thoughts
acts as a bias lens that warps our interpretation of the reality of a situation.
skewed information processing
True or False: Cognitive distortions are human nature and cannot be entirely removed/stopped.
True: They are shortcuts our brain uses because it thinks it's efficient or necessary for survival. You can learn to identify cognitive distortions and work to reframe them.
Humans have a habit of avoiding distressful situations, but it can be more helpful to face them directly if the issues persist.
Negativity Bias/Mental Filter
Focusing only on negative aspects of a situation; ignoring positive aspects or overlooking them.
[malfunctioning survival mechanism; not pessimism; critiques feel like predators; reinforces low self-esteem; filters vital information for coping]
"I fear I will find the cure."
Progress is not predictable and it can be a slower process than we want. Practice your patience. Keep putting in the intention and efforts to get better. (Try something new!)
Avoid Absolutes: "perfectly cured" -> "better"
Thoughts/Feelings are not the only evidence to consider. [We are often the last one to realize the progress we're making.]
You are grinding away the layers of struggles that have built up. It will take time, but you can handle this challenge!
This too shall pass.
"I should never make mistakes."
"I have to be perfect."
"I gotta go exercise today!"
"Should" Statements
"Mistakes can be uncomfortable, but we all make them. I am allowed to make mistakes"
"It's better to just get started than to worry about perfection. I will do what I can. I will be easy on myself."
"I want to exercise soon. I'm working on being someone that prioritizes my physical fitness."
How do cognitive distortions affect your outlook/perspective?
They force our interpretations toward familiar, fundamental, and usually negative core beliefs.
Some common core beliefs that lead us astray are: "I must be perfect," "I am always behind," "I'm too tired," "I am not good/worthy enough," "The world is too dangerous."
Distortions strip away nuance, context, and conflicting evidence leaving only info that supports our painful or unhelpful narrative.
True or False: Only people with a mental illness experience cognitive distortions.
False: Everyone can/will experience cognitive distortions.
Learning that we cannot believe everything we think and that we cannot entertain certain trains of thought is crucial for growth.
Sometimes thoughts are more distressing for us than they are for others. Develop skills that help you specifically.
Blaming
Assigning (too much) responsibility to the incorrect party (yourself or others).
It is often a transfer of who owns responsibility for an issue/challenge.
[Core Belief: "I am helpless" or "The world is against me"; hinders growth; admit mistakes; release what cannot be changed by you directly.]
"My partner criticized me last night when we were discussing our relationship. We're going to break up soon :("
While this hurts to hear, they are communicating with me. Discussing issues are how relationships grow and strengthen.
I feel anxious about the criticism, but i cannot predict the future. i will consider this new information for a bit and give the adjustments a try, before i assume all is lost.
"I am lazy because I cannot keep up with my house chores."
"I am a failure because I havent finished my chores yet."
"I am incapable of this task."
Labeling/Mislabeling.
Lazy => self-shaming language and fixated on productivity
Failure => you are so much more than your successes and struggles.
Incapable => you are still learning this
SECRET FALLACY QUESTION!!!! In the Control Fallacies & Locus of Control, what is the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic?
External Control: Believing that external forces control your life and you have little personal influence, i.e. the world happens TO YOU. Also can be focusing on external rewards/motivation (money, power, fame, etc.)
Internal Control: Feeling responsible for events outside of your control, leading to undue stress. Also the belief that you have agency and autonomy in our world. Intrinsic rewards are mental/emotional responses of our own appreciation our behavior & choices.
"I focus on what I can control and accept what I cannot."
True or False: Cognitive distortions are sometimes based in factual reality.
True: Cognitive distortions are rarely totally false; they are usually anchored in some small grain of truth. The error comes from the disproportionate (Catastrophizing), permanence ("always" or "never"), or meaning (Emotional Reasoning) assigned to an experience.
Thinking in absolutes (never/always)
Overgeneralization/Black-and-White/All-or-Nothing Thinking
[erases the shades of gray; expands unpleasant factors; language reinforces meaning (be careful with "Everyone," "totally," "ruined"); results in paralysis and higher chances of quitting; stifles growth]
"I feel really anxious, my decision must be wrong."
Just because I am anxious, it doesn't mean I made the wrong choice. I thought through my options to make the best decision with the information I have. I will act according to my values.
"Something is really wrong; I am feeling extremely worried."
"I'm so tired, I can't do/start anything!"
Emotional Reasoning
"I recognize I am feeling anxious/tired, but I want to push through toward my goals & values."
How do you deal with a cognitive distortion?
Start making a shift from automatic response to thoughtful response. Rational + Emotional = Wise Mind
Observe, Accept, & Reframe (if needed)! If finding something positive is too challenging, just work to reframe it in a more neutral light.
Accept/Acknowledge the fleeting thoughts.
Recognize they are unhelpful in the context.
Practice finding a more balanced view.
True or False: All negative thoughts are cognitive distortions.
False: Sometimes a situation is just simply bad, unpleasant, troublesome, etc. Our job is to accept & acknowledge the reality and continue moving through our obstacles toward our goals/values.
Check for rational evidence, understand the scope of the situation, accept the reality that life is often unfair.
The goal isn't to reframe the thought away, but to cope with its presence and problem-solve.
The world is a tough place, but we have the freedom to create pockets of joy.
Mind Reading & Fortune Telling
Jumping to conclusions; treating guesses as facts; ignores evidence and fills in gaps in information
[projecting onto others creating problems that dont exist; leads to withdrawing or getting defensive; predictions can become self-fulfilling prophecies; distorts the present/future events & relationships]
"The mistake I made is going to ruin my life."
Everyone makes mistakes. I can learn from it, grow, and try to avoid it going forward. One situation does not have to define me.
"We make mistakes; mistakes do not make us."
"No one else completes the job the right way. I always have to do everything if I want it done right."
"No one else understands my experience, they can't even begin to relate!"
Always Being Right
"I can delegate some tasks; nothing is perfect even if i do it personally."
Humans are remarkably similar, and we all experience a variety of interesting thoughts/feelings to learn from. "I will look for more people that understand my perspective."
What is confirmation bias? How does it reinforce cognitive distortions?
Confirmation Bias is the tendency to focus on information that confirms one’s current beliefs while ignoring contradictory evidence. It makes it difficult to consider alternative perspectives or adapt to new information.
"I remain open to new information and perspectives that broaden my understanding."
True or False: Reframes should always be positive.
False: The goal is to shift the thought into a neutral perspective. You want to figure out what portions of the statement are not true or useful.
Moving toward a positive and optimistic outlook can surely help, but take small steps toward neutrality first. You have to find a perspective you believe in.
Emotional Reasoning
Belief that emotions reflect the way things really are. Confusing feelings with facts.
Emotions are erroneously seen as not just a reaction to reality, but proof of the perceived reality.
We try to avoid/soothe the temporary feelings, which accidentally keeps us trapped in the problem.
Emotions are signals to receive, but you act according to your values, context, and needs.
Anxiety does not necessitate something being wrong.
"My boss wants to have a meeting first thing tomorrow; I must be getting fired."
There is no strong evidence that I have done something that would get me fired, so this meeting could be about anything. I will resist the desire to predict the future with my anxiety, and instead, i will take a small step in the present moment toward my peace. [I may need a treat to handle the extra stress.]
"I am such a horrible employee because I was late to work. It doesn't matter what I do right because I mess up in this area."
Overgeneralizing/Catastrophizing
"It's okay to be late sometimes. I will keep making small steps toward timeliness. I am good at my job and will keeping striving to get better."