In this article:

• Cognitive distortions are thoughts that aren't actually true but feel true.

• CBT works by focusing on the negative thoughts and learning how to challenge them, as well as learning how to change unhelpful behaviors such as avoidance.

• Cognitive distortions are simply ways that our mind convinces us of something that isn’t really true.

What is CBT?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can briefly be described as a talk therapy that can help you better manage situations and your emotions with a framework of evaluating your thoughts, emotions and behaviors.

The idea is that our thoughts, emotions, physical symptoms and behavior can all influence one another and therefore help to maintain difficult emotions and experiences.

The CBT model emphasizes that it is not the situation that causes the emotional distress but instead it is how an individual interprets and experiences the world around them which causes emotional distress. The filters to which we look through when understanding ourselves and others can be discolored by negative frameworks and belief systems.

CBT argues that it is the individual’s interpretation or view of that event or situation which causes the emotional distress. CBT works by focusing on the negative thoughts and learning how to challenge them, as well as learning how to change unhelpful behaviors such as avoidance.

CBT argues that it is the individual’s interpretation or view of that event or situation which causes the emotional distress. CBT works by focusing on the negative thoughts and learning how to challenge them, as well as learning how to change unhelpful behaviors such as avoidance.

Cognitive Distortions

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.

From the YouTube channel Therapy in a Nutshell

Cognitive distortions are thoughts that aren't actually true but feel true. Your thoughts twist reality, and you start to feel like you’re bad, broken, or deficient. Or you begin to see the world as dangerous, threatening, or cruel. But here’s the thing with cognitive distortions: you don’t realize you’re doing it. You think the way you see things is reality. It feels true. When you think or talk through the lens of a cognitive distortion, you sound rational and accurate to yourself.

Filtering

We take the negative details and magnify them while filtering out all positive aspects of a situation.

Polarized 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.

Over-generalization

A general conclusion based on a single incident or a single piece of evidence is assumed. If something bad happens only once, we expect it to happen over and over again. A person may see a single, unpleasant event as part of a never-ending pattern of defeat.

Jump 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.

Catastrophizing  

We expect disaster to strike, no matter what. This is also referred to as “magnifying or minimizing.” We hear about a problem and use what if questions (e.g., “What if tragedy strikes?” “What if it happens to me?”).

Personalization  

Personalization is a distortion where a person believes that everything others do or say is some kind of direct, personal reaction to the person. We also compare ourselves to others trying to determine who is smarter, better looking, etc.

Control Fallacies 

If we feel externally controlled, we see ourselves as helpless a victim of fate. For example, “I can’t help it if the quality of the work is poor, my boss demanded I work overtime on it.” The fallacy of internal control has us assuming responsibility for the pain and happiness of everyone around us. For example, “Why aren’t you happy? Is it because of something I did?”

Fallacy of Fairness 

We feel resentful because we think we know what is fair, but other people won’t agree with us. As our parents tell us when we’re growing up and something doesn’t go our way, “Life isn’t always fair.” Because life isn’t “fair” — things will not always work out in your favor, even when you think they should.

Blaming

We hold other people responsible for our pain, or take the other track and blame ourselves for every problem. For example, “Stop making me feel bad about myself!” Nobody can “make” us feel any particular way — only we have control over our own emotions and emotional reactions.

Shoulds  

We have a list of ironclad rules about how others and we should behave. People who break the rules make us angry, and we feel guilty when we violate these rules. A person may often believe they are trying to motivate themselves with shoulds and shouldn’ts, as if they have to be punished before they can do anything.

Emotional Reasoning

We believe that what we feel must be true automatically. If we feel stupid and boring, then we must be stupid and boring. You assume that your unhealthy emotions reflect the way things really are — “I feel it, therefore it must be true.”

Fallacy of Change 

We expect that other people will change to suit us if we just pressure or cajole them enough. We need to change people because our hopes for happiness seem to depend entirely on them.

Global Labeling

We generalize one or two qualities into a negative global judgment. These are extreme forms of generalizing, and are also referred to as “labeling” and “mislabeling.” Instead of describing an error in context of a specific situation, a person will attach an unhealthy label to themselves.

DISCLAIMER: All information included is for educational purposes only. It is not meant to be used for self-diagnosis or to instruct anyone on how to proceed with their mental healthcare. A mental health diagnosis can only be identified by a trained professional that facilitates a proper assessment. Please speak to your healthcare professionals prior to making any changes.

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