Cognitive Distortions

Cognitive distortions are inaccurate and biased thinking patterns that misrepresent how we interpret situations. These thinking patterns work as automatic and maladaptive mental habits that exaggerate problems and intensify negative feelings such as anxiety or depression.

How Cognitive Distortions Work

Cognitive Distortions act as filters when information is processed; they reinforce preexisting, deep-seated negative beliefs.

• Mechanism: The brain uses these patterns as subconscious shortcuts to cope with complex or unfamiliar situations. This tends to lead to errors, such as jumping to conclusions or minimizing positive experiences.

• Reinforcement: The brain reinforces this habit because it may feel rational to the individual experiencing it; they form a repeating cycle in which their thoughts twist what happens around them to match and reinforce their negative beliefs.

• Impact: Research has shown that cognitive distortions play a role in influencing and predicting different mental health conditions and patterns of behavior, such as depression or anxiety.

Common Cognitive Distortions

• Mindreading: Jumping to conclusions about what others think of you based on little to no evidence.

• Catastrophizing: Assuming the worst-case scenario will happen.

• Overgeneralizing: Assuming a negative outcome will happen again based on a single event.

By: David Rojo