Why It Matters: Cognitive Distortion
Cognitive distortions are irrational, biased ways of thinking that can negatively impact emotions and behavior. They often contribute to stress, anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. By recognizing these patterns and actively challenging them, you can cultivate a healthier mindset and improve your overall well-being.
The Breakdown: Common Cognitive Distortions
Here are some of the most common cognitive distortions and how they manifest in daily life:
1. All-or-Nothing Thinking
Seeing situations in black-and-white terms with no middle ground. If something isn’t perfect, it’s a complete failure. 👉 Example: If you make a small mistake at work, you may think, “I’m a total failure.”
2. Overgeneralization
Making broad conclusions based on a single event or limited evidence. If one bad thing happens, you expect it to happen repeatedly. 👉 Example: After one rejection, you might think, “I always fail at everything.”
3. Catastrophizing
Expecting the worst-case scenario to happen or imagining a situation as much worse than it is. 👉 Example: Thinking that missing a deadline will lead to losing your job or ruining your career.
4. Mental Filtering
Focusing only on the negative aspects of a situation while ignoring any positives.
👉 Example: Even if you receive praise, you fixate on a single critical comment.
5. Personalization
Blaming yourself for events outside your control or assuming you are the cause of things going wrong. 👉 Example: If a friend seems distant, you might assume it’s because you did something wrong, even if it has nothing to do with you.
6. Emotional Reasoning
Believing that if you feel something, it must be true. 👉 Example: "I feel like a bad friend, so I must be one."
7. Should Statements
Relying on rigid expectations about how things should or must be. 👉 Example: "I should always be productive; otherwise, I’m lazy."
8. Labeling
Assigning extreme labels to yourself or others based on one action or trait. 👉 Example: "I forgot my appointment—I'm so irresponsible."
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):
🔹 How do I recognize a cognitive distortion?
Pay attention to automatic thoughts that feel extreme, rigid, or overly negative. If your thoughts use words like always, never, must, should, or worst-case scenario, they might be distorted.
🔹 What can I do to challenge these thoughts?
Reality Testing: Ask yourself, "What’s the evidence for and against this thought?"
Alternative Perspectives: Try thinking, "How would I view this if a friend were going through it?"
Scaling Technique: Instead of extremes, rate the situation on a scale of 1–10 to bring perspective.
Self-Compassion: Replace harsh self-criticism with kinder, more balanced thoughts.
🔹 Can mindfulness help with cognitive distortions?
Yes! Mindfulness practices like meditation, grounding, and journaling can increase awareness of these distortions and help reframe them over time.
My Journey:
Turning negative self-thoughts into more balanced and helpful ones doesn’t happen overnight, but it is absolutely worth it!
For me, this is a daily practice of challenging my own thoughts. I’m no longer harsh with myself about it—in fact, I celebrate when I catch one. (Mini party in my brain!) While practicing this, it’s important to be gentle with yourself. These negative patterns have taken root over time, and asking your brain to create new neural pathways is a process.
It’s easy to fall into self-criticism when recognizing these cognitive distortions. You might think, "Oh, there I go again, messing everything up!" But here’s the thing—your brain wants to please you. If you’ve unconsciously benefited from these patterns in some way (even just by reinforcing familiarity), your brain assumes it’s helping.
Step 1: Recognition
Start small. Don’t worry about changing or challenging your thoughts right away—just focus on spotting them. Every time you do, affirm yourself for noticing it. Try saying:
✔ "Go me!"
✔ "Hey, I think that was one!"
✔ "Wow, I caught that thought!"
Simply recognizing cognitive distortions is already reshaping your brain.
Step 2: Gentle Reframing
Once you get better at recognizing them, begin to gently challenge those thoughts.
Instead of: "I always mess everything up,"
Try: "Wait, that was a cognitive distortion—go me for catching it! I don’t always mess things up. I’m actually great at ______!"
These conversations can be out loud or in your head. Even these simple reframes begin to rewire your brain to see new ways to support you. Over time, you’ll notice a shift in your mindset.
Step 3: The Pause
This is the hardest part, and I’m still working on it. Our brains react fast, supplying instant responses based on old patterns. But if you can pause, even for a moment, you gain control.
The pause allows you to ask yourself:
🌀 How do I actually want to respond here?
🌀 Is this thought really true?
🌀 What’s a more balanced way to see this?
Your brain may try to pull you back into old habits because they feel familiar, but the pause is your superpower. The more you practice, the more you reclaim control over your thoughts and reactions.
Remember, progress isn’t about never having cognitive distortions again—it’s about catching them sooner and responding in a way that supports your well-being.
Your Turn: Reframing Your Thinking
Try this exercise: Write down a recent negative thought. Then, identify the cognitive distortion behind it. Finally, rewrite the thought in a more balanced way.
👉 Example:
Original Thought: "I failed my test. I’m never going to be good at this."
Distortion: Overgeneralization
Reframed Thought: "I didn’t do as well as I wanted on this test, but I can study differently next time and improve."
By practicing this regularly, you can train your mind to think in healthier, more realistic ways.
✨ Which cognitive distortion do you notice the most in your thinking? Share in the comments!
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Until next time,
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Sources:
Beck, A. T. (1976). Cognitive Therapy and the Emotional Disorders.
Burns, D. D. (1980). Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy.
American Psychological Association (APA) – Cognitive Distortions & CBT
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) – Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Personal Experience & Intuition – My unique perspective and experience
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