Cognitive distortions

Interestingly, the landscape of one’s life consists of their internal thoughts, thought processes, and the immediate world around them. Which we mostly create.

Here is my framework for how we create the outlook of our lives.

How we perceive the word begins through our thoughts.

Our thoughts lead to our actions.

Our actions lead to our behaviors.

Our behaviors turn into our beliefs.

Finally, our beliefs turn into our outlook on life.

Here is a simpler quote that touches on the same topic.

“Thoughts become perception, perception becomes reality. Alter your thoughts alter your reality.”

Williams James

In talking about thoughts shaping your reality, I must speak about cognitive distortions.

Here are the 10 most common cognitive distortions

1. All or nothing thinking

2. Overgeneralization

3. Mental Filter

4. Discounting the positive

5. Jumping to conclusions

6. Magnification or minimization

7. Emotional Reasoning

8. Should statements

9. Labeling

10. Personalization and blame

Let’s take a quick look at each with this really insightful chart.

I must also mention that these changes can’t happen overnight. It is a gradual process to address cognitive distortions and unhelpful thoughts.

As much as we may want to speak positively, our minds simply won’t believe in something if it is too far from our previous reality.

Here’s an analogy that I found very useful when I was working through my own cognitive distortions, which I will share.

Imagine you are on a tightrope. Walking across and trying to hold your balance.

If you take too large a step, you will become off balance and can fall.

The same can be said when addressing cognitive distortions. You are on this thin line of changing your thoughts into something believable. If you adjust from sadness, anger etc to everything is wonderful and rosy, that is simply too big a step.

Which in turn puts you off balance, and you will fall. Meaning your trust and belief in what you are saying falls away, since the change is too drastic, making it far-fetched and not believable.

Instead, we need to take small steps to slowly change our cognitive distortions over time, allowing ourselves to believe in what we are saying because it is accurate, believable, and reasonable.

It is crucial to get to know these 10 cognitive distortions. Journal about them, learn about them, and take steps to correct them.

• When do they appear in your life?

• Is there a particular event or thing that sparked that cognitive distortion?

• How can you change that cognitive distortion into something that is healthy, reasonable, and believable?

Here is an example of all or nothing thinking and a potential way to move to a better thought process.

“There’s no point in playing if I am not in shape / competitive.”

This can be turned around into something like...

I may not be in shape yet, but this game can get me closer to the person that I want to become, and that is worthwhile.

(Healthy and social, for example.)

Or maybe this is too drastic a change in mindset.

A simpler change could be “this feels pointless, but I need to start somewhere. So I guess I can start here.”

Addressing my cognitive distortions was a huge milestone in my mental health, and I hope that it can be for you as well.

If you have any questions or want more information on this topic, please let me know!

Love,

Kynr