Black or White Thinking
Define black or white thinking
Where you view things into extremes instead of noticing the areas of gray
Define over-generalizing
When you take one aspect or experience of your life and apply it to everything else
Define emotional reasoning
Believing that because you feel something this means it must be a true fact
Define personalization or taking things too personally
It is when you attribute things to yourself or actions when instead it has to do with others
What does CBT stand for?
Cognitive behavioral therapy
Provide an example of black or white thinking
Possible: I am either a failure or a success
I am beautiful or ugly
People love me or hate me
Provide an example of over-generalizing
Ex: Everybody hates me, nobody likes me, I never get what I want
Provide an example of emotional reasoning
Ex: I feel guilty so I must have done something wrong
I feel angry so I must have been wronged
Provide an example of personalization
Ex: I thought people were staring in my direction to judge me
I thought the cashier was rude to me because I did something wrong
What is a coping skill? Provide an example
Something you do to reduce a negative emotion you are experiencing
ex: reading, deep breathing, meditation
Why is black or white thinking common, especially in teens?
It is a simple concept which was helpful when we were younger to identify right from wrong or good people from bad people?
What are some of the key words used in over-generalizing thinking?
Always, never, everyone, no one, no body, etc.
Why do people experience emotional reasoning?
People will feel sensations strongly and try to find a reason to attribute them to something
Why can personalization be perceived as selfish?
Because it implies that you think you have a larger impact than you really do and focuses on yourself instead of others
What is grounding? Provide an example
It is when you use your five senses to reduce a negative emotion
ex: 5-4-3-2-1, clay, yoga
To correct black or white thinking you want to think this instead:
In the gray area or in the middle
The way to overcome over-generalizing thinking is to...
Notice exceptions in the things you and others do, don't blanket everything together
The way to challenge emotional reasoning is by...
Focusing on the facts of the situation and realizing other causes for your emotions
The way to challenge personalization is by...
What are the four communication styles?
passive, passive-aggressive, assertive, aggressive
Provide a recent example from your life of black or white thinking and how you challenged it
Provide a recent example from your life of over-generalizing and how you challenged it
ex: I didn't do good on a test and thought "I'll never pass this class" but challenged that I can study harder and this semester isn't over
Provide a recent example of emotional reasoning and how you challenged it
Ex: I was feeling insecure so I thought my partner was cheating on me but I realized that this was a feeling I have due to my past
Provide a recent example of personalization and how you challenged it
My mom was in a bad mood when I got home from school so I thought I did something but then I realized she could have had a bad day at work
What are the three components of CBT?
Thoughts, feelings, and behaviors