Cognitive distortions, also called “thinking traps”, are common ways in which we trick ourselves into believing negative thinking patterns. Anyone can experience these cognitive distortions, but, for some, these distortions can lead to anxiety and depression. Do you or your AHS student ever fall into these traps?
- Black-and-white (or all-or-nothing) thinking: I never have anything interesting to say.
- Jumping to conclusions (or mind-reading): The doctor is going to tell me I have cancer.
- Personalization: Our team lost because of me.
- Should-ing and must-ing (using language that is self-critical that puts a lot of pressure on you): I should be losing weight.
- Mental filter (focusing on the negative, such as the one aspect of a health change which you didn’t do well): I am terrible at getting enough sleep.
- Overgeneralization: I’ll never find a partner.
- Magnification and minimization (magnifying the negative, minimizing the positive): It was just one healthy meal.
- Fortune-telling: My cholesterol is going to be sky-high.
- Comparison (comparing just one part of your performance or situation to another’s, which you don’t really know, so that it makes you appear in a negative light): All of my coworkers are happier than me.
- Catastrophizing (combination of fortune-telling and all-or-nothing thinking; blowing things out of proportion): This spot on my skin is probably skin cancer; I’ll be dead soon.
- Labeling: I’m just not a healthy person.
- Disqualifying the positive: I answered that well, but it was a lucky guess.
One effective way to combat these cognitive distortions is by practicing mindfulness. Being present in the moment without judgment is one of mental health’s most powerful tools. If you can catch your thoughts when negative thinking patterns arise, try countering your thoughts with facts instead of emotional reasoning. Another idea for combating cognitive distortions is to talk to yourself like you would the 5-year-old version of yourself or a close friend.
