What is a Cognitive Distortion?

Have you ever assumed the worst-case scenario? Have you ever thought you could read someone else’s mind by assuming they are angry with you? Have you asked yourself the question, “What if my friends don’t actually like me?” If so, you were most likely experiencing a  cognitive distortion. According to the American Psychological Association, cognitive distortions are “faulty or inaccurate thinking, perceptions, or beliefs” (APA, 2022). Even if there is some truth to the origin of the thought, cognitive distortions are exaggerated and do not consider all of the facts. Since your thoughts play a massive role on how you feel and behave,  recognizing patterns of negative thinking is extremely important for overall mental health and well-being.  

 While everyone will experience a cognitive distortion from time to time, some people experience them chronically. When left untreated, consistent cognitive distortions can also lead to anxiety, depression, and other mental illnesses. In order to work towards reframing harmful cognitive distortions, it is first essential to recognize them as they come. The following includes  the ten most common cognitive distortions to look out for:  

1. Catastrophizing  

 Catastrophizing is expecting that the worst-case scenario of any situation will come true.  This cognitive distortion includes the infamous question “What if?”. What if my friend abandons me? What if my dad dies today? What if I get in a car accident on my way to school?  What if nobody actually likes me? Catastrophizing can lead to a spiral of painful thinking as this cognitive distortion is centered on the most unimaginable and painful life events. 

2. Mental filtering  

This cognitive distortion includes viewing yourself and your life through a negative lens.  It also is recognizing only the negative aspects of a situation while completely disregarding anything positive about it. An example of this may include a student giving a presentation in class, which included feedback from other class members upon completion. Say this person received many positive comments, but one piece of constructive criticism. A cognitive distortion would be occurring if the student continued to ruminate on the one negative comment rather than feeling excited about the positive feedback as well.  

3. Discounting the positive  

 Discounting the positive is similar to mental filtering as it includes approaching life with biased negative thinking. If you are discounting the positive, you are not simply ignoring or overlooking the positive aspects of a situation. Instead, you believe that if something positive happens to you, it is because of luck or is an anomaly. You do not believe that you could have ever accomplished something because of skill or determination, which can negatively impact your self-esteem.  

4. Emotional reasoning  

Emotional reasoning is the assumption that because you feel a certain way about something, then it must be true despite evidence proving the contrary. An example of this type of cognitive distortion includes the following: “I feel like I am a bad friend, so I am a bad friend.”  However, you have many beloved friends who often tell you how much they value you, making this thought distorted. 

5. Labeling and mislabeling  

 This cognitive distortion includes placing negative labels on yourself and others by focusing on a singular event or past situation. An example of this for oneself may be “I failed my English test, so I am stupid.” Labeling and mislabeling yourself and those around you can hugely impact self-esteem and your perception of those in your personal sphere.  

6. Jumping to conclusions (i.e., mind reading and fortune telling)  

Jumping to conclusions includes two types of cognitive distortions: mind reading and fortune telling. With mind reading, you think someone is thinking something that they may not be. You also may assume that someone is going to react or perceive you in a certain way without having any reason to believe so. With fortune telling, you predict that events will unfold in a way with no evidence that this will be the case.  

7. All-or-nothing thinking  

This type of cognitive distortion is also called “black and white” thinking or polarized thinking. With all-or-nothing thinking, you are thinking in terms of the extremes with no room for balance or moderation. Examples of these types of thoughts include the following: “I am not perfect, so I have failed” or “I messed up before so I can never do it again.” 

8. “Should” statements  

 “Should” statements can be extremely harmful and include blaming yourself for not doing or being something that you feel you “should” be. If, for example, you had a really long day at work and are choosing to engage in some reality TV upon returning home to wind down.  In “should-ing” yourself, you may think the following: “I shouldn’t be doing this right now. I  should be working out, meditating, or reading a book.” When in reality, you are doing what is best for you at that moment. By being critical of your actions, you will make yourself feel guilty or that you have failed. This can lead to intense stress, anxiety, and low self-esteem. 

9. Personalization  

Personalization includes taking unnecessary responsibility for something that was not completely your fault. It also is blaming yourself for things outside of your control. Additionally, personalization is taking most things personally, which can lead to feelings of pain and isolation.  For example, if a friend is in a bad mood, personalization would be assuming and believing that the friend is in a bad mood because they are annoyed by you. When in reality, they have just gotten into an argument with their parents. However, this cognitive distortion will have you believing otherwise.  

10. Overgeneralization  

 This includes overgeneralizing your experience from one event to another or seeing an imaginary pattern between all events. An example of this includes assuming that because your last boyfriend broke up with you, all of your boyfriends in the future also will. Therefore, you no longer believe in love and avoid getting into any new relationships. Overgeneralization can also be seen in the following statement: “Nothing good ever happens to me.”  

Cognitive distortions can be extremely dangerous for your sense of self and belief about those around you. They can negatively impact your relationships and can stop you from living the life you deserve. Your thoughts have developed as a response to your past experiences and while your mind is just trying to protect you from harm, it can cause more damage by allowing yourself to lean into these distortions.

So what should you do when you are experiencing these thoughts? The first step is Recognition; try and remind yourself that these thoughts are not based in reality. After recognition, the next step is Evidentiary Support. You can begin to challenge your cognitive distortions by providing evidence to your brain that is contrary to that thought. Then, practice positive self-talk which is essential in combating cognitive distortions. Therapy can be a great resource when walking through intrusive thoughts and cognitive distortions. Reach out to Arcadian Therapeutic Services here to find the best therapist fit for you to keep your mind mentally fit and emotionally healthy with tools to combat these distortions.

Written by Nicole Decker, Clinical Mental Health Counseling Masters Candidate