5 Common Cognitive Distortions and How to Deflate Them

Written by Laura Jackson, Healthcare Leader & Holistic Wellness Facilitator

Laura Jackson, RN, BScN, MN, is an award-winning healthcare leader and holistic wellness facilitator. She is the Founder of Paradigm Joy Inc, a holistic mental health and wellness service that helps people to relieve stress, recover from trauma, transform limiting beliefs, and cultivate self-compassion.

Cognitive distortions can impact your well-being, relationships, and decision-making. These negative and inaccurate ways of thinking taint how you see yourself, others and the world around you. Identifying and challenging them involves an awareness of your thought process and recognizing the negative impact that they are having on your life.

In this article, we will explore five common cognitive distortions, how they can hold you back, and what you can do to overcome them.

Cognitive distortions

Our brains are constantly filtering information and making connections between thoughts, experiences, and outcomes. Sometimes, these connections are based on false assumptions and are biased, irrational, and influenced by negative core beliefs. These misaligned connections may contribute to negative thinking patterns that distort the way you see yourself, perceive situations, and behave.

Unhelpful ways of thinking, also known as cognitive distortions, are normal and can be experienced by everyone. However, if they are not kept in check, they can impact your mental health, contribute to anxiety and depressive symptomology, and negatively impact your ability to thrive.

5 common cognitive distortions

Cognitive distortions were first described in the late 1950s and in the 1960s by Dr. Albert Ellis and Dr. Aaron Beck. In 1980, Dr. David Burns identified ten cognitive distortions; today, there are more outlined in the literature.

Here are five common cognitive distortions and what you can do to cultivate alternate ways of thinking to improve your mental health and life.

1. Filtering

Filtering occurs when we only see the negative in experiences, despite there being positive elements. Filtering is analogous to a colander that strains out everything except for one element or akin to wearing dark sunglasses that block reflective light and glare and change the color of the things that you see around you.

This distorted thought pattern ignores and contradicts the positive elements of an experience and taints your ability to see things clearly. When you filter, you may only notice your misfortunes and perceived failures and dwell on the negative while ignoring the good in a situation or in your life.

If you recognize that you are filtering, start by taking a step back and considering the bigger picture.

Ask yourself if you are viewing the situation or experience in a balanced way. When you do this, you may be able to identify the good or positive factors in a situation instead of only seeing the negative.

Related: Are you a negative person? If you are, then stop it.

2. Personalization

Personalization occurs when you unfairly attribute things that go wrong to be your fault. This may occur if there is no connection to you, even if it is out of your control. For example, your child failed a math test, and because of this, you believe that you are not a good parent. Or, if someone cuts you off on the highway, you think that it has something to do with you.

If you recognize that you are personalizing, start by asking yourself if the cause is truly about you. Challenge any personal blame by accounting for the evidence that proves that it is attributed to you. Try to reframe the experience by identifying alternative causes and contributing factors. Reframing the situation in this way may help you to see that the situation is not attributed to you and that it may be due to multiple factors, even those that are out of your control.

3. Should statements

Should statements endorse strict rules and unrealistic expectations that you impose on yourself. As a cognitive distortion, they can be so restrictive that they paralyze your ability to be authentic. Should statements may be used even if you did not have the ability, experience, or knowledge to act differently at the time. They often result in guilt and shame and pertain to something that you think you should do, be, or have done differently. This thought pattern can exacerbate negative self-talk and depressive symptoms and increase anxiety.

If you notice that you use should statements in this way, reflect on what you were aware of at that moment in time. Practicing self-compassion and forgiveness can help you to be kind to yourself as you start to challenge these statements.

Ask yourself if the statement is aligned with your values and if you are imposing an unrealistic belief about yourself. Over time, with support and practice, should statements can be restructured into could statements and self-acceptance.

Related: Is your self-compassion fierce?

4. Catastrophizing

Catastrophizing occurs when we imagine the worst-case scenario and think that the outcome will result in a disaster. The false magnification of the importance of something or the belief that something negative will occur contributes to hopelessness, stress, and anxiety. For example, when your boss asks to meet with you, you think of the worst possible reasons for the meeting and think that you are going to be fired.

Like other cognitive distortions, catastrophizing may prevent you from doing things due to fear of the worst-case scenario.

One way to challenge this type of cognitive distortion is to ask yourself what evidence exists that proves that the worst-case scenario will occur. Consider the facts as well as what you have done or put in place to mitigate a negative outcome. When you step back and take a balanced view, you may realize that the chance of a catastrophe is non-existent.

Try putting a positive spin on the thought. Ask yourself what the best-case scenario could be.

5. Overgeneralizing

Overgeneralizing occurs when you view the negative outcome of a single event as the prototype for everything. For example, you participated in your first marathon and were unable to finish. You then believe that you will never finish a marathon, that you are not good at running, and as a result, decide not to try again.

To challenge this type of cognitive distortion, pause and reflect on the overgeneralization, ask yourself if it is true all the time, and evaluate the evidence.

Ask yourself if one instance can serve as a fair conclusion.

Challenging cognitive distortions

Recognizing cognitive distortions and learning how to overcome them can be challenging. Identifying the cognitive distortions that you tend to use and the impacts that they are having on your life is an important first step.

If you are struggling with your mental health and with cognitive distortions, consider working with a licensed mental health professional who is trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Cognitive therapies, such as CBT, focus on cognitive restructuring and can help you to identify and challenge cognitive distortions. CBT can teach you how to reframe negative thinking patterns and replace them with thoughts that support mental wellness. A licensed mental health professional will provide you with personalized guidance and support tailored to your specific challenges and wellness goals.

Starting on a journey towards health and wellness can be daunting. It takes patience and perseverance to achieve a goal and make sustainable lifestyle changes. To learn more about my work and to gain access to resources, visit here.

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Read more from Laura Jackson

Laura Jackson, Healthcare Leader & Holistic Wellness Facilitator

Laura Jackson, RN, BScN, MN, is certified in psychiatric and mental health nursing with the Canadian Nurses Association and is a Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach with the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching. She is the Founder of Paradigm Joy, a holistic mental health and wellness service where she provides counselling, coaching, education, and retreats. Her approach to wellness is holistic and integrative. With an emphasis on somatic (body-based) interventions, she uses her skills in nervous system co-regulation, therapeutic yoga, meditation, and self-compassion to create an environment of safety and to support people to relieve stress, recover from trauma, transform limiting beliefs, and reach their full potential.