[AngstyLady]

I know I mentioned this in a previous post and so I found the article, here it is:

15 Common Cognitive Distortions

(source: 15 Common Cognitive Distortions | Psych Central )

What’s a cognitive distortion and why do so many people have them? Cognitive distortions are simply ways that our mind convinces us of something that isn’t really true. These inaccurate thoughts are usually used to reinforce negative thinking or emotions — telling ourselves things that sound rational and accurate, but really only serve to keep us feeling bad about ourselves.

For instance, a person might tell themselves, “I always fail when I try to do something new; I therefore fail at everything I try.” This is an example of “black or white” (orpolarized) thinking. The person is only seeing things in absolutes — that if they fail at one thing, they must fail at all things. If they added, “I must be a complete loser and failure” to their thinking, that would also be an example of overgeneralization — taking a failure at one specific task and generalizing it their very self and identity.

[Altered Moment]

Thanks for sharing. I borrowed this for another thread.

[Imaworrywart]

Unfortunately, I have many of these.

A lot of these sound like the things we learn in DBT.
I knew of most of these, but it's always good to read them again.

[SeekerOfLife]

I know about these. It would be good for me to make a study of this.

[AngstyLady]

Yes, I have a number of these I believe as well- I was in such a rush to post this- I forgot to talk more about it- it seems I've been to caught up with things lately, not enought me time- which is usually when I log on here . ..
Anyway, I definitely fall prey to Filtering, Jumping to Conclusions,
Personalization, Control Fallacies,Blaming,Shoulds,Emotional Reasoning and Global Labeling.
Though as of late I really am thinking people are just *****es and asshole sometimes,
but I'll save this rant or another post . ..

[CaptainChaos79]

Its been a long time since I saw this list...I needed this

[vvector0000]

Anxiety and avoidance of future events are usually anticipation of bad memories instead of fear of experience.

[iRunforfun]

I have like all 15 of those... lots to work on. Thanks for sharing!

[gayleggg]

I read Beck's and Burn's books years ago and knew then that I have most of these distortions at times. However, I have never had much luck with taming them. I think they are at the root of a lot of my issues.

[bigblackdog]

Originally Posted by AngstyLady

I know I mentioned this in a previous post and so I found the article, here it is:

15 Common Cognitive Distortions

YAY!! I got a high score of 15!

o wait, that's not a good thing is it??

[Little Jay]

This is completely me! My therapy hasn't really changed any of it at all, maybe I should mention some of these points!

[lovefromdover]

Originally Posted by AngstyLady

I know I mentioned this in a previous post and so I found the article, here it is:

2. Polarized Thinking (or “Black and White” Thinking).
In polarized thinking, things are either “black-or-white.” We have to be perfect or we’re a failure — there is no middle ground. You place people or situations in “either/or” categories, with no shades of gray or allowing for the complexity of most people and situations. If your performance falls short of perfect, you see yourself as a total failure.

4. Jumping to Conclusions.
Without individuals saying so, we know what they are feeling and why they act the way they do. In particular, we are able to determine how people are feeling toward us.
For example, a person may conclude that someone is reacting negatively toward them but doesn’t actually bother to find out if they are correct. Another example is a person may anticipate that things will turn out badly, and will feel convinced that their prediction is already an established fact.

Cognitive distortions work, because one distortion brings about another. Starting from
polarized thinking (for example)
going through
jumping to conclusions
and then
trying to use familiar scheme
one tries to elicit black or white response (effect of polarized thinking) from someone to close the deal, to gratify oneself immediately (to get rid of insecurity).

Chain can be very long and distortions intertwining. Pushing the other person, who isn't accustomed to polarized thinking, into polarized thinking most often ends up with categorical response.

Results:
- conviction that one's prediction is already an established fact
- performance falls short of perfect
- you see yourself as a total failure
- 'I'm stupid'.
-----------------
-I'm stupid.[conviction/black]
-I have no reason not to trust your judgement. You know yourself better that I know you.
-Do you really think I'm stupid?[doubt/white]
-Truth is I think nothing, because I don't know you well enough.
-Should I believe that?[uncertainty]
-Up to you.
-Is that all you have for me after what I've been through so you could get to know me?! [sulking, insecurity]
-Yes, that is all.
-[violent reaction]-->I'm stupid. You're stupid. Everybody is stupid.

[Open Eyes]

When I read through the list, I have to say that I have had to deal with people in my life that actually have every one of the cognitive distortions on that list. They are exhausting to live with and it is hard for them to see the "gray".

[AngstyLady]

Originally Posted by Little Jay

This is completely me! My therapy hasn't really changed any of it at all, maybe I should mention some of these points!

couldn't hurt.