Danika Have you ever felt like your mind is a corn-maze in which you easily get lost 🧠✨?
Me too bestie
Our minds are like this wild garden of thoughts and feelings – in fact, humans have around 6,000 to 8,000 thoughts per day ! Insane, right!?
And the worst in this is that Not all of them are nice thoughts. We have reflections hiding in the corners of our mental space – called cognitive distortions. They’re these kinds of low-key but super powerful patterns that we carry since our childhood, and they mess with how we perceive, feel, and even choose things.
Cognitive distortions are thinking patterns that have the roles of protecting us and helping us survive, they affect how we perceive things, making us believe stuff that’s often not true. (You know sometimes while walking at night and getting creeped out by a garbage can on the side of the road? Yup. You got hacked by your brain).
They sneakily warp our perspective, making us feel anxious, doubtful, or negative about situations and ourselves, this is how our brain has kept us safe since a million years ago. Today, I want us to shine a light on their secret influence and figure out how to handle them like pros.
I am super excited to share this with you because this is one of my special interest. So buckle up, ’cause we’re diving into this awesome adventure together! 🚀🌈
Unveiling Cognitive Distortions: Illuminating the Shadows
Okay, so we already uncovered in big words what are cognitive distortions. Now let’s dive a little bit more into this new concept.
Cognitive distortions are patterns of irrational and inaccurate thinking that can influence how you perceive and interpret situations. They tend to be negative and can lead to emotional distress. Here’s how they work:
- Filtering: You focus only on the negative aspects of a situation and filter out any positive or neutral elements. This can make you see things as much worse than they really are.
- Polarized Thinking (Black-and-White Thinking): You see situations as either all good or all bad, with no middle ground. This extreme thinking can lead to unrealistic expectations and disappointment.
- Catastrophizing: You magnify the importance of a problem or situation, expecting the worst possible outcome. This can create unnecessary anxiety and stress.
- Overgeneralization: You draw broad conclusions based on limited evidence. For example, if one bad thing happens, you might think that everything in your life is terrible.
- Jumping to Conclusions: You make negative assumptions about people’s thoughts or intentions without concrete evidence. This can lead to misunderstandings and conflict.
- Personalization: You believe that everything others do or say is a reaction to you. This can make you overly self-conscious and sensitive to criticism.
- Control Fallacies: You believe that you have no control over your life or that you must control everything. This can lead to feelings of helplessness or anxiety.
- Should Statements: You have rigid rules about how you and others should behave, and you become upset when these expectations aren’t met. This can lead to frustration and resentment.
- Emotional Reasoning: You believe that your feelings accurately reflect reality. For example, if you feel stupid, you assume you must be stupid, even if there’s no evidence for it.
- Labeling and Mislabeling: You attach negative labels to yourself or others based on mistakes or shortcomings, instead of recognizing that everyone makes errors.
Cognitive distortions can impact your emotions, behaviors, and relationships, often leading to unnecessary stress and unhappiness. Recognizing and challenging these distortions through cognitive-behavioral therapy or self-awareness techniques is crucial for more balanced and accurate thinking.
Is there any positive cognitive distortions?
Cognitive distortions are typically associated with negative or irrational thinking patterns that can lead to emotional distress. However, it’s important to note that not all thought patterns are inherently negative. Some thought patterns can be positive and adaptive. Here’s an example of a positive cognitive pattern:
Positive Self-Attribution: This is when you attribute your successes and achievements to your own efforts and abilities. It’s a healthy way of thinking that can boost self-esteem and motivation.
Positive self-attribution is the opposite of a cognitive distortion like “Discounting the Positive,” where you minimize or dismiss your accomplishments. In this case, recognizing your achievements and giving yourself credit is a positive and constructive cognitive pattern.
While cognitive distortions primarily refer to negative thinking patterns, it’s equally important to acknowledge and reinforce positive thought patterns for overall mental well-being.
The Ripple Effect on Daily Life: Unmasking the Consequences
- Increased Stress and Anxiety: Cognitive distortions, like catastrophizing or overgeneralizing, can make everyday challenges seem much worse than they actually are. This can lead to higher stress levels and increased anxiety, which can be particularly challenging for someone with ADHD to manage.
- Impaired Decision-Making: When cognitive distortions cloud your thinking, it becomes harder to make clear, rational decisions. This can impact various aspects of life, from career choices to personal relationships, making it more challenging to navigate important life decisions.
- Strained Relationships: Cognitive distortions can lead to misunderstandings and miscommunications in relationships. For example, jumping to conclusions or assuming negative intentions can strain friendships and romantic partnerships, making it vital to address these distortions for healthier connections.
**In conclusion**
Remember, addressing cognitive distortions through therapy or self-help techniques can significantly improve mental well-being and daily functioning. Also, you might not know that, but your girl is certified as a cognitive behavioural life coach therefore, I can help you with that.