What Are Cognitive Distortions?
Cognitive distortions are an exaggerated or irrational thought pattern that often lead individuals to perceive reality inaccurately. Being stuck in these thought patterns can contribute to symptoms of anxiety or depression, and can have other negative impacts on one’s psychological well being. These thoughts can also lead to limiting beliefs about ourselves and/others.
Aaron Beck, a Psychiatrist professor, discovered many clients struggling with depression were employing false assumptions or beliefs, which led to the foundation of CBT - or cognitive behavioural therapy. This therapeutic approach operates on the idea that our thought patterns and beliefs/feelings about ourselves drive our experiences. When these beliefs are distorted, they can be modified or challenged to eliminate irrational thought patterns.
How to Challenge a Cognitive Distortion
Name the feeling: what am I currently feeling?
Validate the feeling: name the feeling, breath into the feeling, notice where you feel it in your body and just send a loving breath to that part of your body.
Find the thoughts: ask yourself, what are the thoughts that are triggering these feelings?
Name the cognitive distortion: refer to the list of cognitive distortions
Find the objective truth about that thought: ask yourself for each of these statements, what is absolutely true? how do you know it is true? are there any thoughts here that may not be true? how do you know these thoughts might not be true? how else can you interpret what happened? what is a more balanced truth here?
Identify an alternative response: write down a statement that reflects your healthier approach. choose something that you can repeat to yourself
Check in with the feeling again: ask yourself how you are feeling now?
Thought Records can assist you in challenging a cognitive distortion as well. When a situation or experience arises that triggers a negative cognition, the thought record can help you identify and challenge your approach and/or thought patterns relating to the situation. Here is an example of a thought log:
The Situation. Briefly describe the situation that led to unpleasant feelings.
Initial Thought. What thought first crossed your mind? This was probably a subconscious or automatic thought that you have had before.
Negative Thinking. Identify the negative cognition behind your initial thought.
Background. How far back does this go? When did you start to act or think like this? Can you trace it back to a situation or a person? If you have seen someone else behave like this, how successful was it for them?
Challenge your approach. What are the facts that support or challenge your approach? How successful has your approach been in the past? What advice would you give someone in the same situation? What strengths do you bring to the situation that you may have overlooked?
Consider the consequences. What are the short-term consequences if you continue this approach? Look at the psychological, relationship, physical, and professional consequences.
Alternative approach. Now that you’ve analyzed what went wrong, that should help you discover a healthier approach.
Positive Belief and Affirmation. Write down a statement that reflects a more balanced thought.
Action Plan. What can you do if this arises again? How would you prepare? What can you do during? What can you do if you fall back to old patterns?