![]() emotional reasoning –assuming that your thoughts are facts (e.g.if I drive my car, I am bound to have an accident) catastrophising – expecting that something will always go wrong (e.g.Yvonne is in a bad mood it must be because of something I said or did) personalising – thinking that other people’s reactions or events that happened must be down to your actions (e.g.I have painted the wall but have dripped a couple of paint spots on the floor I might as well not bother doing it again) all-or-nothing thinking – thinking in extremes, sometimes referred to as ‘black-and-white thinking’, with no middle-ground perspective (e.g.I know my tutor said most of my assignment was great but he also said there were a number of spelling mistakes that needed correction he must think I am stupid) filtering – concentrating on the negative events while ignoring the positives in life (e.g.overgeneralisation – coming to a conclusion based on a single event or one piece of evidence (e.g.Many people find themselves falling into the trap of NATs. Online and Telephone Counselling Course.Counselling Theory in Practice – Textbook.Importance of Modality and Medium in Choosing a Supervisor.Remember that automatic negative thoughts don’t change overnight. ![]() Or maybe you began catastrophizing after going through a traumatic event as a way to protect yourself from further harm. It is okay to say at one point in time mind-reading was a coping skill you used while interacting with an unpredictable person in your life. If they are upset with me, I can do my best to talk to them about the issue and repair the friendship.”Īs you learn to challenge automatic thoughts, be patient with yourself. Instead of the thought shared above, you could tell yourself “My friend has not answered my text message, but that does not mean they are upset with me. An example of catastrophizing: “My friend has not answered my text yet, I must have said something to upset them and now they no longer want to be my friend.” Challenge this thought: Try to state only the facts of what you are facing. Instead ask yourself: how do I know what this person is thinking? Does assuming I know what they are thinking mean that I am right?Ĭatastrophizing: Sometimes called magnifying, this thinking error turns little problems into big problems. Challenge this thought: Don’t assume you know what others are thinking. Mind-reading can be harmful when it always assumes the worst. When you tell someone a joke, and they laugh, you may conclude that they found your joke funny. Mind Reading: Have you ever passed someone at school or in a store and thought they were giving you a strange look? Maybe you assumed that they were judging you, or that they disliked you for a reason unknown to you. List both the facts of the situation as well as your interpretation to see the full picture. I am always so awkward.” Challenge this thought: Ask yourself if you are overgeneralizing the situation. After the presentation, you are feeling a little uncomfortable, and you label yourself as being ‘awkward.’ An overgeneralization would be “ I was so awkward during my presentation. For example, imagine yourself presenting in front of your class. Overgeneralizing: Overgeneralizing is very similar to exaggerating, it is assuming that something is true in all cases because it was true in one case. A black-and-white thought might be “I did not receive an A on this paper, I’m such a failure.” Challenge this thought: Ask yourself is it that bad, or am I seeing things in black and white? How else can I think about this situation? What would my friend say about this situation? You receive your grade and see that your teacher gave you a C on the paper. Imagine you are a star student expecting to receive a good grade on a paper you worked hard on. Once you can identify automatic negative thoughts you can start to challenge them!Īll-or-Nothing Thinking: Sometimes referred to as black-and-white thinking, these thoughts conclude that a situation is either good or bad, with nothing in between. ![]() Cognitive distortions are sometimes called ‘thought errors’ and can quickly become a habit. However, when our negative thoughts become constant and unrealistic, they become what is known as a cognitive distortion. Negative thinking is helpful when it protects us from dangerous situations or motivates us to complete tasks. Stop being so negative! Are these words familiar to you? Everyone has negative thoughts from time to time.
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