Cognitive Distortions
Describe what a Cognitive Distortion is
- Biases we have
- Distorted way of thinking
- Unhelpful thinking patterns
-Wonky sunglasses
-Clown shoes
What is emotional intelligence?
The ability to understand, use, and manage your own emotions in a positive way to relieve stress, communicate effectively, empathize with others, overcome challenges, and defuse conflict.
- Ability to relate and understand yourself and others
What is the difference between front stage and back stage behavior?
Front stage: Public, well-defined rules, easy to learn, obvious cues, is dictated by society. Example: Going to the library
Back stage: Private, unwritten rules, hard to learn, subtle cues, requires a great deal of mental effort, can only be learned gistfully. Example: Attending a family birthday party
True or False: A Mental Illness is a physical condition of the brain that can affect emotions, mood, and perception.
True!
- Research shows differences with the structure of certain brain areas, as well as differences with neuro-transmission or how messages travel through the brain electrically or biochemically.
- (Taken from module 2: Group components & Understanding Mental Illness)
Pick a letter A-Z. Name 3 healthy coping skills that begin with this letter.
Often known as "Black-and-white thinking," this distortion doesn't allow for one to see the gray areas. In other words, you see issues in terms of extremes - something is either fantastic or terrible, you think you're either perfect or a complete failure.
All-or-Nothing Thinking / Polarized Thinking
True or False: Emotional Intelligence is a skill that can be strengthened by practicing it
True
What are two ways people send and receive non-verbal messages when they are socializing?
Eye contact, body posturing/language, gestures, and facial expressions
The Limbic System is responsible for which function?
A. Walking or riding a bicycle
B. Emotional arousal/energy
C. Making executive decisions
B. Emotional arousal
- The Limbic System is comprised of the fornix, hippocampus, cingulate gyrus, the amygdala, the parahippocampal gyrus, and parts of the thalamus.
- (Psychoeducational Module: The Waltz)
This style of thinking allows one to
- Move easily from task to task
-Entertain alternative explanations
-Use a variety of problem solving strategies
Cognitive Flexibility
Similar to over-generalization, the deviation of the mental filter focuses on one particular negative piece of information and exclude all helpful news. An example of this distortion is that one partner in a romantic relationship holds on to a single negative comment which was made by the other partner and sees the relationship as hopelessly lost while ignoring years of positive comments and experiences.
Mental Filtering
How might Emotional Intelligence help you be successful in the work or academic setting?
-Assists with social skills, communication, relating with others, improves your ability to be a team-player
Observing a person's tone of voice, their facial expressions, body language and gestures, and asking yourself, "Is this an appropriate time to approach this person?" is known as what?
Taking a person's emotional temperature
Name three different types of memory (we covered 9 different types in module six).
1. Sensory Memory 6. Episodic Memory
2. Short-term Memory 7. Semantic Memory
3. Long-term Memory 8. Implicit Memory
4. Explicit Memory 9. Procedural Memory
5. Declarative Memory
- (From psychoeducational talk Memory)
True or False: Having a chronic illness does not have to limit your life. Explain your answer.
The answer is true. Explain why.
Refers to recognition as a fact of one's emotions. "I feel it, therefore it must be true or real."
Emotional Reasoning
What CET concept is closely related to Empathy?
Hint: Empathy is having the ability to consider how a person feels and WHY they might feel the way they do.
Perspective Taking
Thinking about how the other person feels, and asking yourself, "How can I show that I understand and respect their feelings?"
Hint: Imagining how you might feel in their shoes
What is Perspective Taking
What is the difference between spatial memory and short-term memory?
- Spatial memory: the storage and retrieval of information within the brain that is needed both to plan a route to a desired location and to remember where an object is located or where an event occurred. (Acceptable answer: Relates to physical location of self or object)
- Short-term memory: memory that involves recall of information for a relatively short time, such as a few seconds. (Acceptable answer: memory that fades fast)
What two components of the brain do the majestic Waltz?
Prefrontal cortex and limbic system
Severe types of over-generalizations in which we apply value-judgement to ourselves or others on the basis of one instance of observation. "That kid seems like a 'good' student because he is sitting quietly." or "They broke the law so that means they are a 'bad' person."
Labeling and mislabeling
What are the 5 domains of Emotional Intelligence?
-Empathy
-Social Skills
-Self-Awareness
-Self-regulation
-Motivation
What is the difference between active listening and passive listening?
Active Listening: Making an effort to understand what someone is communicating to you. You are listening for the gist (the essence) of what the person is saying. Your body language communicates to them you are listening.
Passive Listening: You can hear some sounds coming from their mouth, but you aren't interested or focused enough to process what they are communicating. Your body language gives this away.
True or False: The brain has more connections in it than there are stars in our galaxy
TRUE!
It is estimated to have over 100 billion neurons (also called nerve cells or brain cells), which is about the number of stars in the Milky Way Galaxy. Multiplying 100 billion neurons times 40,000 synapses is equivalent to the brain having more connections in it than there are stars in the universe.
Source: BrainMD.com
What is the Internal Yardstick?
Measuring yourself by your own accomplishments
What is the difference between Internal and External control fallacy?
Internal: Believing you have more power and control than you really do
External: Believing you have less power and control than you really do
The ability to accurately sense others' emotions and understand what is really going on. Being empathetic, acknowledging the emotions of others, being thoughtful and considerate, and making decisions that take others' feelings into consideration can help build your ______________?
A. Self-Regulation
B. Self-Awareness
C. Social Awareness
D. Motivation
C. Social awareness
Non-Verbal Cues: Eyebrows are raised, eyes are opened wide, and the mouth is in the shape of an "O."
The feeling or emotion of Surprise
What is a brain cell called?
Neuron
Identify three strategies you can use to help with memory
1. Make a list
2. Set an alarm
3. Ask a friend/family member to remind you
4. Rehearse the information
Identify at least 6 different types of cognitive distortions
-All or nothing, Over-generalization, mental filtering, disqualifying the positive, jumping to conclusions, magnification (catastrophizing or minimization,) emotional reasoning, should statements, labeling/mislabeling, personalization and blame
How can setting healthy boundaries help with self-regulation?
Self-Regulation: Your ability to stay flexible and positively direct your behavior when you are experiencing difficult emotions
Serves as self-protection. It can prevent social situations from escalating to unpleasantness.
What is the difference between Valid and Invalid criticism
-Valid aims at assisting, uses "I feel" statements.
-Invalid aims at causing harm, "you never, you always, etc."
What does the frontal lobe regulate and control?
a. Emotions
b. Judgment
c. The weather
d. Hydration levels in your body
B. Judgment
What is the difference between societal stigma and self-stigma of mental illness?
Societal stigma is the discrimination of persons who have a mental health diagnosis. Stigma is comprised of stereotypes, a lack of understanding of what mental illness is, and the mistreatment of persons who have a diagnosis.
Self-stigma is the internalization of societal stigma
Those who struggle with perfectionism are said to deal with this type of "syndrome" in the workplace or school. "If I don't do a good job on this presentation, then everyone will find out I'm not smart enough to work here."
Imposture Syndrome
How does EQ help us manage our physical health?
-Helps us to regulate stress and prevents or minimizes the effects stress can have on our physical bodies.
Your friend forgot to invite you to a group outing. You know they have had a lot going on lately and assume this was not intentional. However, you feel disappointed that you were not invited.
Provide a valid criticism/feedback response.
-Opens with a compliment or an understanding of their situation
-Communicates the feedback and shares how the situation made you feel
-Closes with compliment or understanding of their situation
What is the stress threshold theory?
When stress reaches a certain point, an individual may begin to experience symptoms of mental illness.
-Increased levels of paranoia
-Isolation
-Depression and/or anxiety
-Auditory/Visual Hallucinations
-Delusions
What are the four types of Signals of Distress?
1. Behavioral
2. Physical
3. Emotional
4. Cognitive
The assumption that one's hard work, pain, and hardships can result in a just reward.
Control Fallacy: Heaven's Reward Fallacy
What is the difference between EQ and IQ?
EQ: Ability to understand self and others
IQ: Ability to solve problems, use logic, and grasp or communicate complex ideas
You are at a job interview and the person interviewing you asks, "So, why would you like to work here?" How do you respond?
-Hopefully you've done some research on the company to communicate why you like the company
-Communicate what you feel you would bring to the table
-DO NOT reply, "Because I need to pay my bills."
Name at least 3 neurotransmitters (or neuro-chemicals) found in the brain and share what you know about them.
Some examples:
-Dopamine: reward-oriented
-Oxytocin: bonding, social support
-Epinephrine (adrenaline): fight or flight, excitement
-Serotonin: helps with sleep, levels of satiety, well-being
Creating a Positive Affirmation: The most effective way to begin an affirmation is to begin with the words…
a.) I might
b.) I am
c.) I will someday
d.) Lasagna is
B. I am
Explain how the CBT triangle can assist with identifying cognitive distortions
Event = Thoughts, feelings/emotions, behaviors
-CBT can assist with identifying your automatic thoughts, which is when one is vulnerable to cognitive distortions after an event
Describe the role of Emotional Intelligence in human evolution
- Hunter gatherers learned to work together in order to survive environmental hardships
- Human brain expanded from primordial brain-stem to include (pre)frontal cortex to support higher forms of cognition, including EQ.
_________ ____________ is the ability to act wisely in social situations.
*Hint: This definition is from "Socializing While Managing a Mental Illness"
Social Cognition
Turkey Time: L-tryptophan is an essential amino acid that helps the body make proteins and certain brain-signaling chemicals. Your body changes L-tryptophan into a brain chemical called _________. _________ helps control your mood and sleep.
Hint: The correct answer is NOT melatonin.
Serotonin
Every place you go to and interact has a slightly different ____________. These include: Work, Leisure, and Family.
Hint: Think about what you learned in Social Gist Generalization...
Another hint: The ways of life including arts, beliefs and institutions of a population that are passed down from generation to generation.
Culture