Our minds are powerful, but sometimes they play tricks on us. Have you ever thought, “I always fail” or “nobody likes me,” and felt like it was true, even though there was no clear evidence? These are some examples of cognitive distortions: automatic, biased thought patterns that can skew reality and affect how we feel and act.
What Are Cognitive Distortions and Where Do They Come From?
Cognitive distortions are exaggerated or irrational ways of thinking. They often develop as mental shortcuts, which are our brain’s attempt to make sense of complex information quickly. While these shortcuts can sometimes be helpful, they can also create patterns of negative thinking.
Most of these distortions form early in life, influenced by upbringing, past experiences, cultural messages, and personal beliefs. They operate automatically (meaning we often don’t notice them), but their impact is profound. Recognizing them is the first step toward thinking more clearly and feeling better emotionally.
Each section below explains a distortion, provides examples, and includes self-check questions so you can reflect on your own thought patterns (Chand et al., 2023).
1. All-or-Nothing Thinking (Black-and-White Thinking)
What it is: Seeing situations in extremes, without any middle ground.
Example: “I messed up on my interview; I’m a total failure.”
Self-check prompts:
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When something doesn’t go perfectly, do I immediately think the whole situation is ruined?
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Do I rarely see “gray areas” and instead label things as all good or all bad?
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Can I remember a recent time I succeeded in some parts but failed in others, and how I judged myself?
2. Overgeneralization
What it is: Making broad, sweeping conclusions based on a single event.
Example: “I failed this test; I’ll never succeed in anything.”
Self-check prompts:
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When one thing goes wrong, do I feel it predicts all future outcomes?
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Do I use words like always, never, or everyone when describing myself or situations?
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Can I recall a time when one failure didn’t reflect my overall abilities?
3. Mental Filter
What it is: Focusing only on the negatives while ignoring positives.
Example: Receiving ten compliments but fixating on one critique.
Self-check prompts:
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Do I replay negative moments in my head, ignoring positive experiences from the same situation?
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Do I often feel dissatisfied even when good things happen?
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Can I list three positive things that happened today and notice if I ignored them?
4. Discounting the Positive
What it is: Rejecting positive experiences as luck or flukes.
Example: “I only did well because it was easy, not because I’m talented.”
Self-check prompts:
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When praised or rewarded, do I think it doesn’t really count?
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Do I believe good things happen to me only by chance and not by effort?
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Can I recall a recent success and honestly acknowledge my role in it?
5. Jumping to Conclusions
What it is: Making negative assumptions without evidence.
Examples:
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Mind-reading: Assuming others think badly of you.
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Fortune-telling: Predicting something bad will happen.
Self-check prompts: -
Do I assume people are judging me without them saying anything?
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Do I predict outcomes as negative before any evidence appears?
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When anxious about future events, can I list alternative scenarios besides the worst-case?
6. Catastrophizing
What it is: Expecting the worst possible outcome or exaggerating problems.
Example: “If I make a mistake in my presentation, I’ll get fired.”
Self-check prompts:
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When something small goes wrong, do I immediately imagine the worst-case scenario?
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Do I use extreme language like “disaster,” “ruined,” or “never recover” in my thoughts?
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Can I recall a time I imagined the worst, but the outcome was much less severe?
7. Emotional Reasoning
What it is: Believing feelings are facts.
Example: “I feel anxious about this date, so it will not go well.”
Self-check prompts:
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When I feel something strongly, do I assume it must be true?
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Do my moods guide my judgment about myself or the world?
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Can I separate how I feel from objective evidence in a recent situation?
8. Shoulds and Musts
What it is: Imposing rigid rules on yourself, causing guilt or frustration.
Example: “I must always be perfect at work.”
Self-check prompts:
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Do I criticize myself for not meeting high, inflexible expectations?
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Do I feel guilty or anxious when I break my own rules?
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Can I identify times when these “shoulds” are unrealistic or unnecessary?
9. Labeling
What it is: Assigning a negative global label based on a single mistake.
Example: “I made a mistake; I’m incompetent.”
Self-check prompts:
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Do I define myself or others by one event rather than seeing the whole picture?
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When I make a mistake, do I attach a harsh label to myself?
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Can I think of an instance where I made a mistake but it didn’t define who I am?
10. Personalization
What it is: Blaming yourself for events outside your control.
Example: “My friend is upset; it must be because of me.”
Self-check prompts:
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Do I take responsibility for outcomes I had little control over?
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When someone else is upset or a problem occurs, do I immediately assume it’s my fault?
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Can I identify external factors that contributed to the situation?
11. Magnification and Minimization
What it is: Exaggerating negatives and downplaying positives.
Example: Overstating one small flaw while ignoring achievements.
Self-check prompts:
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Do I blow mistakes out of proportion while shrinking successes?
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When reviewing my day, do I focus more on failures than accomplishments?
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Can I re-evaluate a recent situation to see it more realistically?
To Conclude
Identifying cognitive distortions is a valuable first step in understanding unhelpful thinking patterns. When you recognize a distortion, you may reflect on it using guiding questions such as, “What evidence supports this thought?” or “Are there other explanations?” These reflections can enhance self-awareness, but for more persistent and distressing patterns, CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) can provide more effective tools for sustainable change (Clark & Egan, 2015; Hofmann et al., 2012).
References
Chand, S. P., Kuckel, D. P., & Huecker, M. R. (2023, May 23). Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). National Library of Medicine; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470241/
Hofmann, S. G., Asnaani, A., Vonk, I. J. J., Sawyer, A. T., & Fang, A. (2012). The Efficacy of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: A Review of Meta-Analyses. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 36(5), 427–440. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-012-9476-1
Clark, G. I., & Egan, S. J. (2015). The Socratic Method in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy: A Narrative Review. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 39(6), 863–879. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-015-9707-3
Illustration by: Josée Bisaillon