The difference is some can recognize fairly quickly that the errors of thinking are irrational and can bring themselves back to reality. How Cognitive Distortions Affect YouĮveryone experiences some form of cognitive distortion from time to time. We don’t realize it’s happening and that is what makes it so difficult to recognize that the thoughts are inaccurate and illogical. Our minds are on autopilot when we experience those cognitive distortions. This makes it difficult to recognize that these thoughts are irrational. However, most won’t be affected negatively and will be able to recognize irrational thoughts quickly.įor those who struggle with stress or anxiety, these distorted thoughts feel real. Who is Affected by Cognitive Thinking ErrorsĮveryone can experience irrational thinking patterns in their day-to-day thoughts. Your active participation in social activities can contribute to mental wellnessĪll these factors contribute to how we are brought up and affect our thoughts, behaviors, and emotion towards events in our lives. Positive relationships can promote healthy communication and emotional wellbeing Negative social relationships can lead to an “Us vs Them” mentality Parental guidance contributes to your overall behavior and attitude Stigma from peers and the media influences our ideas, beliefs, the way we think, and how we perceive ourselves or others Genetics, financial wealth, education level, and living conditions can influence your sense of security, resilience, persistence, and attitudeĪccessibility to health care and other health services offers more opportunity for increased longevity and decreased stress Impacts your willingness to speak about a mental illness or seek help Influences the way we dress, behave, communicate, and how you handle emotionsĬreates a competition vs cooperation mindset Is learned and passed on through generations Language, religion, customs, beliefs, and moral values all have an influence on our behavior in both positive and negative ways There are several factors such as cultural, environmental, and social factors that could influence negative thought patterns.
They do not have a single root cause, like depression and anxiety there isn’t one underlying reason which is the cause. However, it is known that cognitive distortions are more prevalent in those who suffer from depression, anxiety, or other severe mental illnesses.Ī downward depressive spiral can be one of the triggers that cause a person to be trapped in these distorted thoughts.Ĭognitive Distortions are part of a complex system that is intertwined with our thoughts, behaviors, and emotions. There is little evidence to suggest that cognitive distortions are caused by depression or anxiety. May increase anxiety and depression, potentially causing psychological damage Manifest itself as negative emotions or feelings It is important to recognize that all cognitive distortions are:įalse, inaccurate, and often exaggerated thoughts If the thought distortions are reinforced often enough due to our habitual thinking, it can lead to an increase in anxiety, depression, and unhealthy relationships.
This is good for helping us remember things but can be dangerous for negative thoughts and emotions such as anxiety or depression. It remembers things from our past and will tend to take that same connection when similar thoughts or emotions occur. This makes them difficult to recognize, as their habitual nature is wired into our brains. These common thought patterns occur automatically in our normal day-to-day thoughts. They convince our minds what we’re thinking is true. What is a Cognitive DistortionĬognitive distortions are irrational thought patterns that are exaggerated by negative thinking and feelings. We will go through the list of common thinking traps and provide you with examples to help you understand each of them. His book, Feeling Good - The New Mood Therapy, outlines his approach to treating depression and is often recommended by therapists to their patients.īurns identified many of the different types of thought distortions that we are familiar with today. It was David Burns who help popularized the approach to treating depression by focusing on identifying, correcting, and replacing distorted systems and thinking patterns. He hypothesized that changing their thinking would change their symptoms. Cognitive distortions were first understood when Aaron Beck connected distorted thinking patterns with his patients struggling with depression.
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