Have you ever caught yourself spiraling into a loop of "what ifs" or assuming the worst in a situation? If so, you’re not alone.
Our mind takes in a huge amount of information, which it tries to sift and sort in a way that makes sense to us. One way it does this is by creating shortcuts in our brains when it’s processing the information, which is usually very efficient.
But it can also lead to inaccuracies in our perceptions, and beliefs that can seem irrational. Our minds can be sneaky troublemakers, especially when we’re dealing with anxiety, depression, or stress.
However, this is actually the brain working to protect us, as these shortcuts are often created at times when the mind believes there is a threat. The brain has evolved to do this, to ensure it takes a “better safe than sorry” stance to keep us safe.
Although this can be vital in times of significant threat, it can lead to cognitive distortions, or thinking errors.
These aren’t technically errors in our thinking, because they’re part of a natural mental process, but they can mean we jump to negative thoughts and assumptions without stopping to consider how accurate these thoughts and assumptions are.
So, what are thinking errors, or cognitive distortions?
They are unhelpful patterns of thinking that can distort the way you see yourself, others, and the world around you. They’re like mental habits that sneak into your thoughts, amplifying stress and making it harder to cope with challenges.
That’s where understanding thinking errors / cognitive distortions can make a huge difference.
Common Thinking Errors
Here are some of the most common thinking errors people experience:
All-or-Nothing Thinking
When we see things in extremes, with no middle ground, this is all or nothing thinking.
In this mindset, things are either entirely good or entirely bad, a complete success or a total failure, with no room for nuance or complexity. It often leads to feelings of inadequacy, disappointment, or frustration because life rarely fits into such rigid categories.
For example:
"If I don’t get this promotion, I’m a complete failure."
"If my friend doesn’t reply immediately, they must be mad at me."
All-or-Nothing Thinking often stems from perfectionism or high expectations. It can also be a way to simplify complex situations when you're feeling overwhelmed, but this oversimplification does more harm than good.
Catastrophising
This happens when our brain immediately jumps to the worst-case scenario, even when it’s highly unlikely. For instance:
"If I mess up this presentation, I’ll lose my job and never recover."
It's like having a built-in doom predictor that amplifies anxiety and stress. While this distortion might feel like a way to prepare for challenges, it often leaves us feeling overwhelmed and unable to focus on realistic solutions.
It often stems from anxiety and a desire to feel in control by predicting and preparing for the worst. Unfortunately, this habit can backfire, making you feel even more powerless and out of control.
Mind Reading
Have you ever found yourself assuming you know exactly what someone else is thinking? Maybe you've concluded that a friend is mad at you because they didn't reply to your text right away, or you've decided that your boss thinks you're incompetent because they asked you to redo a task. This phenomenon is known as "mind reading,".
Mind reading is a mental shortcut we all take from time to time. It's our brain's way of trying to predict and control our social environment. However, when we rely too much on this shortcut, we can end up misinterpreting situations and jumping to negative conclusions without sufficient evidence.
The trouble with mind reading is that it often leads us down a path of negative thinking. For instance, if you assume that someone thinks poorly of you, you might start to feel anxious or depressed. This can affect your mood and behaviour, potentially leading to a self-fulfilling prophecy where you act in ways that might actually cause the negative outcome you feared.
Should Statements
"Should" statements are a common cognitive distortion that many of us encounter in our daily lives. These are the thoughts that come with the word "should," "ought to," or "must," reflecting a set of expectations we expect of ourselves or others.
However they often don't align with reality and can lead to feelings of guilt, shame, and frustration.
The trouble with "should" statements is that they are filled with implicit messaging. When you say, "I should go to the gym," the unsaid message is "but I'm not." This can reinforce the idea that you’re failing and set you up for a cycle of negative self-talk and self-imposed pressure. It's a way of thinking that doesn't accept reality as it is, which can be a source of unnecessary stress and anxiety.
Feelings as facts / Emotional reasoning
We all at times feel something and decide it must be true. This is emotional reasoning or feelings as facts.
Emotional reasoning can lead you down a confusing path where you trust your emotions to be the expression of truth. But sadly feelings aren’t reliable as facts.
For example, feeling inadequate might lead you to believe you must be inherently unworthy, even if there is plenty of evidence saying the opposite!
Emotional reasoning stands out as particularly tricky because it uses our own emotions against us, convincing us to accept our feelings as the absolute truth.
Discounting the Positives
Imagine you've just aced a presentation at work. Instead of basking in the glow of your success, your brain whispers, "It was just luck," or "Anyone could have done that." This is discounting the positives in action, a cognitive distortion that robs us of our victories and can contribute to a negative self-image.
But why do we do this to ourselves? Our brains are wired to make connections and sometimes, they make the wrong ones. We might associate success with external factors rather than our own efforts, leading to a habit of discounting our positive experiences.
Jumping to Conclusions
We've all been there – for example we see a group laughing and assume they're laughing at us. This mental leap is known as "jumping to conclusions," a cognitive distortion where we make decisions based on insufficient information.
Jumping to conclusions can manifest in two main ways - mind-reading, where we assume we know what others are thinking, and fortune-telling, where we predict negative outcomes without evidence.
Mental Filter
Mental filter is a cognitive distortion that acts like a sieve, selectively sifting through our experiences to highlight the negative and overshadow the positive. It's a common occurrence in our thought patterns, especially for those grappling with anxiety or depression.
Imagine going through your day with a pair of tinted glasses that only allow you to see the world in shades of grey. That's what a mental filter does to our thoughts. It's like having a personal critic in your head that's constantly on the lookout for anything that can confirm a negative belief about ourselves or our lives.
For example, a dedicated employee might overlook their consistent performance and focus solely on a missed deadline, leading to feelings of inadequacy.
The consequences of such distorted thinking patterns are far-reaching. They can contribute to a persistent sense of failure, low self-esteem, and a pessimistic outlook on life.
Self blame / Personalisation
Self-blame involves attributing personal responsibility, usually unfairly, to ourselves for events that are not entirely within our control - external events or situations. This can lead to feelings of guilt, shame, and inadequacy, and can be a barrier to effective problem-solving and emotional well-being.
For instance, a parent might blame themselves for their child's poor performance in school, despite there being numerous factors involved that are beyond their control.
Persistently blaming ourselves can lead to a host of negative outcomes. It can increase stress, reduce self-esteem, and contribute to the development of mental health issues such as depression and anxiety.
Social comparison
Social comparison is the term for when we evaluate our own worth based on how we stack up against others. This can lead to a spiral of negative thoughts about ourselves, especially in today's world where social media often gives us an idealised version of reality.
Social comparison cognitive distortion occurs when we compare our behind-the-scenes with everyone else's highlight reel. It's a mental shortcut that can lead to feelings of inadequacy, jealousy, and low self-esteem. It's a common issue that many people face without even realising it's a distortion of reality.
This can be a healthy process when it motivates us to improve and achieve our goals. However, it becomes a cognitive distortion when the comparison is unfair, unrealistic, and persistent.
For instance, comparing your own appearance to that of a photo-shopped image in a magazine, or your life achievements to someone's curated social media profile, is an unequal and distorted comparison. These comparisons often overlook the unique circumstances and personal journeys of individuals.
Thought - action fusion
Thought-action fusion (TAF) is an often misunderstood cognitive distortion commonly associated with anxiety disorders, particularly obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). It involves the belief that our thoughts are equivalent to actions, or that simply thinking about an event can cause it to happen. This distortion can lead to significant distress and is a key area of focus in cognitive-behavioural therapy.
TAF can be broken down into two main types: moral and likelihood. Moral TAF occurs when we believe that having a negative thought is just as morally wrong as committing a negative action. For instance, someone might feel as guilty about thinking of insulting a friend as they would if they actually did it.
Likelihood TAF is the belief that thinking about an unwanted event increases its chance of occurring. For example, worrying about a loved one's safety could lead someone to believe that their worry will make an accident more likely to happen.
The implications of TAF on mental health can be profound. Individuals who experience this cognitive distortion may engage in compulsive behaviours to 'neutralise' the perceived consequences of their thoughts. They might also avoid certain situations or topics to prevent these thoughts from occurring. This can lead to a cycle of increased anxiety and avoidance behaviours, which can significantly impact one's quality of life.
Why Does This Matter?
These thinking errors aren’t just annoying—they’re exhausting. They can keep you stuck in cycles of worry, sadness, or stress. By becoming aware of them, you can start to disrupt those patterns and feel more in control of your thoughts.
Challenging thinking errors doesn’t mean you’ll never have them again, but by recognising them you can choose how to respond.
It’s important to remember that we all experience these thinking patterns at different times in our lives. However, they can cause problems if they’re frequent and unchecked so understanding these thinking errors is the first step in addressing them. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) offers tools and techniques to help recognise and challenge these distorted thoughts, fostering healthier thinking patterns and emotional responses.
As an accredited and experienced CBT therapist I can help you identify and challenge these cognitive distortions and free yourself from their grip. To find out more book in for an initial consultations to see how we might work together.
