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CBT and Cognitive Distortions

Understanding Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)​

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is one of the most effective and widely-used therapeutic approaches for improving mental health and wellbeing. At its core, CBT is based on a simple but powerful idea: our thoughts significantly influence our emotions and behaviors. By identifying and changing unhelpful thinking patterns, we can transform how we feel and act in our daily lives.

CBT is practical, structured, and focused on the present. Rather than dwelling extensively on past experiences or future worries, it equips you with concrete skills to address current challenges. The approach is collaborative—you work actively with techniques that you can continue using long after formal therapy ends.

What Are Cognitive Distortions?​

Cognitive distortions are specific patterns of thinking that are inaccurate, biased, or exaggerated. These thought patterns often reinforce negative emotions and can lead to poor decision-making or unhelpful behaviors. We all experience cognitive distortions from time to time—they're a natural part of being human. However, when these distorted thoughts become habitual, they can significantly impact our mental health and quality of life.

The good news is that once you learn to identify these distortions, you can begin to challenge and reframe them into more balanced, realistic thoughts. This process doesn't happen overnight, but with practice, you can develop the ability to catch distorted thinking in real-time and respond with healthier alternatives.

Below are 15 common cognitive distortions, along with examples, signs to watch for, and practical techniques for reframing each type of distorted thought. CBT has powerful tools to help you identify and challenge these distortions and replace them with more balanced, realistic thoughts such as reframing.

Types of Cognitive Distortions​

1. Overgeneralization​

Overgeneralization is taking a single incident or point in time and using it as the sole piece of evidence for a broad conclusion.

Example thought: After failing one job interview, thinking "I'll never get hired anywhere. I'm completely unemployable."

Signs You're Overgeneralizing:

  • Using words like "always," "never," "everyone," or "no one"
  • Making sweeping conclusions based on limited experiences
  • Applying one negative experience to all future situations

Reframing Technique:

  • Look for exceptions to your conclusion
  • Consider the specific circumstances of the situation
  • Use more accurate, specific language
  • Ask yourself: "What evidence contradicts this belief?"

Reframed Thought: "I didn't get this particular job, but that doesn't mean I won't get others. I've succeeded in interviews before, and I can learn from this experience to improve my chances next time."

2. All-or-Nothing Thinking​

All-or-nothing thinking leaves no room for complexity or nuance—everything's either black or white, never shades of gray.

Example Thought: After making a small mistake on a project, thinking "This entire project is ruined. I'm a complete failure."

Signs of All-or-Nothing Thinking:

  • Categorizing experiences as either perfect or total failures
  • Using extreme language like "perfect" or "disaster"
  • Inability to see partial successes or middle ground

Reframing Technique:

  • Look for the middle ground
  • Acknowledge partial successes
  • Use a 0-10 scale instead of all-or-nothing categories
  • Ask: "What parts of this situation are good, and what parts need improvement?"

Reframed Thought: "I made a mistake on one part of this project, but many other aspects are still good. This doesn't ruin everything, and I can fix the error."

3. Jumping to Conclusions​

Jumping to conclusions refers to the tendency to be sure of something without any evidence at all.

Two Common Forms:

  • Mind Reading: Assuming you know what others are thinking
  • Fortune Telling: Predicting negative outcomes without evidence

Example Thoughts:

  • Mind Reading: "My friend didn't text back right away. They must be angry with me."
  • Fortune Telling: "This presentation will definitely go terribly."

Signs You're Jumping to Conclusions:

  • Making assumptions without checking facts
  • Believing you know others' thoughts or feelings without asking
  • Predicting negative outcomes with certainty

Reframing Technique:

  • Identify the assumption
  • Look for alternative explanations
  • Gather evidence before drawing conclusions
  • Ask directly when possible

Reframed Thought: "My friend hasn't responded yet, but there could be many reasons why. They might be busy, have their phone off, or be dealing with something else. I'll wait before assuming they're upset."

4. Catastrophizing / Magnifying or Minimizing​

Catastrophizing involves expecting that the worst will happen, while magnifying negative aspects and minimizing positive ones.

Example Thoughts:

  • Catastrophizing: "If I make a mistake in this presentation, I'll get fired, lose my house, and my life will be ruined."
  • Magnifying/Minimizing: Focusing intensely on one criticism while dismissing multiple compliments.

Signs of Catastrophizing:

  • Imagining worst-case scenarios
  • Using phrases like "What if..." followed by extreme negative outcomes
  • Exaggerating the importance of problems
  • Downplaying achievements or positive feedback

Reframing Technique:

  • Ask "What's the most likely outcome?"
  • Consider past experiences with similar situations
  • Evaluate the true impact if the feared outcome occurred
  • Balance negative and positive aspects equally

Reframed Thought: "Even if I make a mistake in my presentation, it's unlikely to have severe consequences. Most likely, I'll do fine with perhaps a few minor errors that few will notice. Even if I don't perform perfectly, I can learn from the experience."

5. Personalization​

Personalization occurs when an individual believes that everything they do has an impact on external events or other people, no matter how irrational that may be.

Example Thoughts: "The team project failed because of my contribution, even though five other people were involved."

Signs of Personalization:

  • Taking excessive responsibility for events beyond your control
  • Blaming yourself for others' actions or feelings
  • Feeling that negative events reflect on you personally

Reframing Technique:

  • Identify all factors that contributed to a situation
  • Recognize the role of others and external circumstances
  • Distinguish between responsibility and blame
  • Ask: "Would I hold someone else responsible in this situation?"

Reframed Thought: "The team project had challenges that everyone contributed to in different ways. While I can learn from my part, many factors beyond my control also affected the outcome."

6. Filtering​

Filtering is when you ignore the good things in your life, and put all your attention on the negative things that are happening. This can be one negative thing that's really bothering you, or a collection of negative things that seem to overwhelm the good stuff.

Example Thoughts: Receiving praise from your boss on nine aspects of your work but focusing exclusively on the one area of criticism.

Signs of Filtering:

  • Dwelling on negative details while ignoring positives
  • Remembering criticisms but forgetting compliments
  • Describing situations by mentioning only the downsides

Reframing Technique:

  • Deliberately list positive aspects of a situation
  • Practice gratitude for what's going well
  • Ask yourself: "What am I not seeing in this situation?"
  • Balance every negative observation with a positive one

Reframed Thought: "While I did receive some criticism about one aspect of my work, my boss actually praised nine other things I did well. This feedback is mostly positive and gives me one specific area to improve."

7. Control Fallacies​

Control fallacies involve feeling like everything that happens to you is either entirely due to external forces or completely your own responsibility. This distortion swings between feeling powerless and taking too much responsibility.

Example Thoughts:

  • External Control: "I can't help being late to meetings; traffic is always terrible."
  • Internal Control: "If I had just been more attentive, my friend wouldn't be depressed."

Signs of Control Fallacies:

  • Feeling like a helpless victim of circumstances
  • Taking responsibility for events beyond your control
  • Using phrases like "I have no choice" or "It's all my fault"
  • Difficulty distinguishing between what you can and cannot influence

Reframing Technique:

  • Identify what aspects of a situation you can control
  • Recognize what aspects are beyond your control
  • Focus your energy on the elements you can influence
  • Practice accepting what you cannot change

Reframed Thought: "While I can't control the traffic, I can leave earlier to account for potential delays. I'm responsible for my planning, but not for every circumstance that affects my commute."

8. Fallacy of Fairness​

The fallacy of fairness involves expecting that life should be fair and becoming resentful when this expectation isn't met. This distortion leads to disappointment and anger when we measure every situation against an idealized standard of fairness.

Example Thoughts: "I worked harder than my colleague, so it's unfair that they got the promotion instead of me."

Signs of the Fallacy of Fairness:

  • Frequently using phrases like "It's not fair" or "That's unfair"
  • Feeling resentful when others don't meet your expectations
  • Becoming upset when outcomes don't match your effort
  • Measuring situations against an idealized standard of justice

Reframing Technique:

  • Accept that life isn't always fair
  • Focus on what you can learn from situations
  • Consider multiple perspectives on what "fair" means
  • Ask: "How can I respond constructively to this situation?"

Reframed Thought: "While I worked hard and didn't get the promotion, many factors influence these decisions. Rather than focusing on fairness, I'll ask for feedback about how I can improve my chances next time."

9. Blaming​

Blaming involves holding others responsible for your pain or holding yourself entirely responsible for others' happiness. This distortion prevents personal growth by externalizing responsibility for your feelings and actions.

Example Thoughts:

  • "You made me so angry that I couldn't focus on work all day."
  • "It's my fault that my friend is unhappy; I should have been more supportive."

Signs of Blaming:

  • Using phrases like "You made me feel..." or "It's all your/my fault"
  • Difficulty taking appropriate responsibility for your own emotions
  • Attributing your feelings entirely to others' actions
  • Feeling responsible for others' emotions

Reframing Technique:

  • Recognize that you choose your responses to situations
  • Identify your role in a problem without taking all responsibility
  • Use "I" statements instead of accusatory language
  • Separate others' actions from your emotional response

Reframed Thought: "I felt angry after our conversation, and I'm responsible for how I manage that emotion. Their actions contributed to the situation, but my reaction is my responsibility."

10. "Shoulds"​

"Should" statements involve rigid rules about how you and others ought to behave. These self-imposed demands create guilt when applied to yourself and resentment when applied to others.

Example Thoughts:

  • "I should always be productive."
  • "People should always be considerate of my feelings."

Signs of "Should" Statements:

  • Frequent use of words like "should," "must," "ought to," or "have to"
  • Feeling guilty when you don't meet your own expectations
  • Becoming angry when others don't behave as you think they should
  • Setting rigid, inflexible rules for behavior

Reframing Technique:

  • Replace "should" with more flexible language like "prefer" or "would like"
  • Question the origin and validity of your rules
  • Consider whether your expectations are realistic
  • Ask: "Is this rule helping or hurting me?"

Reframed Thought: "I'd prefer to be productive today, but it's okay if I need rest. Being kind to myself when I need a break is just as important as accomplishing tasks."

11. Emotional Reasoning​

Emotional reasoning is believing that what you feel must be true. If you feel inadequate, then you must be inadequate; if you feel guilty, you must have done something wrong.

Example Thoughts: "I feel like a failure, so I must be a failure."

Signs of Emotional Reasoning:

  • Treating feelings as evidence of truth
  • Making decisions based primarily on how you feel
  • Difficulty distinguishing between emotions and facts
  • Using phrases like "I feel it, so it must be true"

Reframing Technique:

  • Recognize that emotions are not facts
  • Look for objective evidence beyond your feelings
  • Ask: "What would I tell a friend who felt this way?"
  • Consider alternative explanations for your emotions

Reframed Thought: "I feel inadequate right now, but that doesn't mean I am inadequate. These feelings might be due to fatigue and stress rather than an accurate assessment of my abilities."

12. Fallacy of Change​

The fallacy of change is the expectation that others will change to suit you if you pressure or encourage them enough. This distortion assumes your happiness depends on others changing their behavior.

Example Thoughts: "If my partner were more organized, I wouldn't be so stressed."

Signs of the Fallacy of Change:

  • Attempting to change others to make yourself happier
  • Feeling that your happiness depends on others changing
  • Becoming frustrated when others don't change despite your efforts
  • Focusing more on changing others than on adapting yourself

Reframing Technique:

  • Accept that you can only control your own behavior
  • Focus on changing your response to situations
  • Communicate your needs clearly without demands
  • Ask: "How can I adapt to this situation?"

Reframed Thought: "While I'd prefer if my partner were more organized, I can only control my own response. I can communicate my needs clearly and find ways to manage my stress regardless of whether they change."

13. Global Labeling​

Global labeling involves applying broad, often negative labels to yourself or others based on limited evidence. This distortion reduces complex individuals to simplistic categories.

Example Thoughts:

  • "I made a mistake on this report; I'm such an idiot."
  • "She forgot our lunch date; she's completely unreliable."

Signs of Global Labeling:

  • Using extreme language to describe yourself or others
  • Applying negative labels based on single incidents
  • Difficulty seeing nuance in behavior or character
  • Using terms like "loser," "failure," or "jerk" to describe people

Reframing Technique:

  • Separate behaviors from identity
  • Use specific, descriptive language instead of labels
  • Focus on the specific situation rather than making global judgments
  • Ask: "Would I apply this label to someone else in the same situation?"

Reframed Thought: "I made a mistake on this report, which is something that happens to everyone occasionally. This doesn't define my intelligence or worth as an employee."

14. Always Being Right​

Always being right is the distortion of needing to prove that your opinions and actions are correct at all costs. Being wrong feels unacceptable, so you go to any length to demonstrate your rightness.

Example Thoughts: "I need to keep arguing until they admit I'm right."

Signs of Always Being Right:

  • Difficulty admitting mistakes
  • Continuing arguments long after they're productive
  • Feeling threatened when your views are challenged
  • Prioritizing being right over maintaining relationships

Reframing Technique:

  • Practice saying "I might be wrong"
  • Consider the value of learning from different perspectives
  • Ask yourself: "Is being right worth the cost in this situation?"
  • Focus on understanding others rather than convincing them

Reframed Thought: "I have my perspective on this issue, but others might have valid points too. Being open to different viewpoints is more valuable than proving I'm right."

15. Heaven's Reward Fallacy​

The Heaven's Reward Fallacy is the expectation that self-sacrifice and self-denial will eventually pay off, as if someone is keeping score. This distortion leads to bitterness when the expected reward doesn't materialize.

Example Thoughts: "I've worked overtime for months without complaining. I deserve to be recognized and rewarded."

Signs of the Heaven's Reward Fallacy:

  • Keeping mental score of your sacrifices
  • Feeling resentful when sacrifices go unnoticed
  • Expecting automatic rewards for good behavior
  • Surprise and disappointment when rewards don't come

Reframing Technique:

  • Make choices based on your values, not expected rewards
  • Communicate your needs directly rather than expecting others to notice
  • Recognize that good deeds are their own reward
  • Ask: "Would I make this sacrifice even if no one noticed?"

Reframed Thought: "I choose to work hard because I value doing my best, not because I expect immediate recognition. If I need acknowledgment, I can communicate that directly rather than waiting for others to notice."