Mental shortcuts, known as cognitive distortions, are effective in the perception, evaluation, and decision-making processes of individuals related to the situations they experience in their daily lives.
These distortions are exaggerated, dysfunctional thinking errors that deviate from reality about themselves, their lives, and the people around them. Negative childhood experiences and traumatic events play a significant role in the development of these distortions, as they shape the way individuals interpret the world. The brain develops certain beliefs and judgments based on previous experiences to protect the individual from potential harm. However, this situation can lead to biased and automatic thoughts that are accepted without question and perceived as factual, even though they are often inaccurate.
The Most Common Cognitive Distortions
- Overgeneralization
It is that people make inferences based on a single event or a limited number of experiences.
Examples: - “No one supports me.”
- “All bad things happen to me.”
- “No one is loyal.”
- Mind Reading
In this distortion, individuals assume they know what others are thinking or feeling, often interpreting these imagined thoughts without any evidence.
Example:
“She’s late, so she must not care about me. Maybe she doesn’t love me anymore.” - 3. Fortune Telling
This involves predicting negative outcomes and assuming they will definitely happen, regardless of evidence.
Examples: -
“There’s no point in talking, he won’t listen anyway.”
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‘‘My date will go terribly. I won’t even be able to talk.’’
- 4. Should Statements
It is an error of thought that people expect both themselves and others to follow the fixed ideas and strict rules that they have formed in their own minds.
Examples: -
“I have to be successful in every exam.”
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‘‘If he loves me, he should have called me.”
Such thought patterns impose strict duties on people, and when these are not fulfilled, the individual begins to feel guilt and anger. - Polarized Thinking
Experiences in life are interpreted with sharp lines such as all or nothing or black and white. When a situation does not happen as planned, everything that has been done up until that moment is trivialized. What really matters is whether the person has achieved the standards they set at the beginning. Perfectionists tend to think this way.
Examples: -
“If I don’t score 90 or above on an exam, I am a failure.”
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“If you don’t answer my call, I will never call you again.”
Such rigid ways of thinking cause emotions such as dissatisfaction, frustration, and anger. - 6. Personalization
In this distortion, individuals blame themselves for events outside of their control, often feeling an exaggerated sense of responsibility.
Examples: -
‘‘If I were a good mother, my child would not get sick.’’
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‘‘He didn’t answer my call. What did I do to upset him?’’
- 7. Catastrophizing
This distortion involves expecting the worst-case scenario without considering more likely outcomes. It is commonly associated with anxiety disorders.
Examples: -
“She’s always home by now; something terrible must have happened.”
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“If I break up with her, I will never be happy with anyone again.”
How to Cope with Cognitive Distortions
To begin addressing cognitive distortions, identify the thoughts that are causing distress and evaluate them critically. You can ask yourself the following questions:
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How can I be sure that this thought is true? ‘Feeling’ that the thought is true is not enough to be sure.
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Is there any evidence to support my thought?
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What alternative explanations might exist?
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How much are my personal biases influencing this interpretation?
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How much control do I have over the situation?
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How likely is it that the outcome I fear will happen?
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How would I deal with it if something like this happened?
After reflecting on these questions, try to replace the distorted thought with a more positive and realistic one.
Separating Fact from Opinion
Distorted thinking often confuses subjective opinion with objective reality.
For example:
“I turned in my homework late, I am so stupid.”
In this case, “I am so stupid.” is an opinion.
“I turned in my homework late.” is a fact.
Recognizing this distinction helps you detect irrational beliefs.
Focusing on Alternative Outcomes
You can write your own conclusion on a piece of paper and interpret other possibilities that could occur. Finding alternative explanations that could explain the situation improves your perspective and allows you to make more rational evaluations. You cannot change the event, but you can reorient your thoughts.
Challenge Yourself
When you realize that you are making cognitive distortions, you can try to find at least three positive aspects for every negative aspect. Although it may be challenging at first, looking for the positives becomes easier over time and reduces the influence of distorted thinking.
These systematic errors in thinking have a great impact on our mood and behavior. If they are not controlled, mental disorders such as depression and anxiety may occur. For all these reasons, recognizing and countering your own cognitive distortions is an important condition for strengthening your mental health.
References
Ackerman, C. (2017, September 29). Cognitive distortions: When your brain lies to you. Positive Psychology.
https://positivepsychology.com/cognitive-distortions/
Beck, J. S. & Beck, A. T. (2011). Cognitive therapy: Basics and beyond. Guilford Press.
Bernhard, T., JD. (2013, October 3). Learn to question the validity of the stressful stories you tell yourself. Psychology Today.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/turning-straw-gold/201310/you-don-t-have-believe-your-thoughts
Huziej, M. (2025, January 15). Cognitive Distortions | Common distortions & recognising. CPD Online College.
https://cpdonline.co.uk/knowledge-base/mental-health/cognitive-distortions