![]() In other words, you believe something to be true based on your emotional response, rather than facts or objective reasoning. This cognitive distortion is when you let your emotions dictate reason. If you missed today’s goals, you can often pick up again tomorrow. Most things in life are not all or nothing. For instance, you miss a day of doing something you promised to do every day this month - e.g., not drinking, avoiding caffeine, having a study hour - and now you’ve “failed,” so you might as well give it up, right? Everything is awful or everything is great.Īll-or-nothing thinking can lead us to feel like giving up.It’s not often intentional, but you may think in extremes of: It’s when you view situations to the extreme - it’s all or nothing, either/or, and there’s no gray area. ![]() All-or-nothing thinkingĪll-or-nothing thinking is also called black-and-white thinking, polarized thinking, and dichotomous thinking. And if you’re depressed, you deserve compassion - from others and yourself.Ĭatastrophizing skews your perspective, so you can go from one small error to believing you’re a horrible person. One off-day doesn’t mean you’re a terrible friend. “I’m depressed, so I’m going to be depressed forever, and no one will want to be around me.”.“If I fail this test, I will never graduate or be able to get a job.”.When you catastrophize, you make predictions based on little or no evidence, magnifying the issue into the worst-case scenario. “She’s quiet today, she must be mad at me.”Ĭatastrophizing is what Beck originally called magnification.“I told that silly joke, now they all think I’m stupid.”.So, when you give that group introduction and fear they’re all staring, it’s much more likely that they’re focused on their own introductions and lives. The truth is that most people are focused inward, on themselves. ![]() Mind reading is when we assume we know what others are thinking - and often, that what they’re thinking is something negative. No one can read minds, but sometimes we inadvertently think we can. These 10 cognitive distortions are what’s measured in the Cognitive Distortions Scale (CDS), a questionnaire used to assess the way you think. The 10 most common cognitive distortions in depression include: Today, there’s no definitive list of cognitive distortions, though some research recognizes up to 17 types. Aaron Beck first outlined cognitive distortions, he listed just six. Types of cognitive distortions in depression ![]() And when you work on one area - like challenging your automatic thoughts - all layers of thinking can benefit.Īny layer of thought can be distorted, but the core beliefs can be harder to challenge. Your automatic thoughts are often based on your intermediate and core beliefs. They affect how we see things, and they drive rules and automatic thoughts.Īll three layers are connected. Core beliefs are absolute beliefs about yourself, others, and the world. These rules are usually followed in a typical situation - “If X, then Y.” ![]() These beliefs are attitudes and rules, sometimes called underlying assumptions. These are thoughts that come into your mind automatically. In the cognitive behavioral model, people are believed to have three layers of thoughts: They’ve also worked to find coping strategies for challenging negative thoughts. No matter what you’ve heard them called, over the years, mental health experts have outlined several types of cognitive distortions and how they relate to symptoms of depression and anxiety. Since then, it’s evolved, so you might know a related term like: The theory of cognitive distortions has been around since the 1960s. If you’re being bombarded with thoughts like “I’m no good” or “I’ll never be loved,” it will be hard to focus on the positive. A cognitive distortion is an exaggerated, false, or irrational thought or belief you have.Įveryone experiences cognitive distortions at some point or another, but these automatic thoughts and beliefs - which are often negative - are typically related to depressed mood. ![]()
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