Understanding Cognitive Distortions – identifying and overcoming negative thought patterns

2 minutes read time

These distorted thought patterns can manifest in many ways, such as:

• All-or-nothing thinking: also called black and white thinking, you are unable to see the middle ground, something is either entirely good or bad.
• Catastrophising: you are assuming the worst possible outcome of a situation
• Overgeneralisation: you get to a conclusion based on a single event or evidence
• Mind-reading: you are assuming you know what others think or feel without evidence or communication
• Emotional reasoning: you believe that your emotions accurately reflect reality even when evidence contradicts those feelings
• Discounting the positive: you are dismissing or minimising positive events or attitudes
• Negative filter: connected to the previous one here you are filtering out the negative experiences or attitudes
• Labelling: you put negative labels on yourself, or others based on no or little evidence
• “Should and must statements”: you use assumptions how you or other people should act in certain situations and if it happens differently you are upset about the consequences

Cognitive distortions can contribute to low self-esteem, anxiety or depression so overall can impact your mental well-being. They can also influence your relationships: you might become oversensitive about negative feedback or assume things that’s only part of your imagination. In therapy I help you get closer to realistic limits and expectations. With CBT and mindfulness techniques you will be able to recognise how these thoughts arise and challenge them then change the connected feelings and behaviour. The therapeutic relationship is also a model for those who does not have an example of a healthy relationship in their life.  

I truly believe that you know what is best for you and my goal is that you find again this knowledge by breaking down maladaptive circles.