Learning about Thinking Traps

Thinking traps, as some call them, or cognitive distortions are patterns of thoughts we experience in response to a situation that are not based on facts. These patterns lead us to negative thoughts and, in turn, negative feelings and behaviors within the Cognitive Triangle. There are common thought distortions you should know. When reading about them below, reflect on whether you have had this pattern previously and how this distortion might relate to you:

• All-or-Nothing Thinking: This is when we see things in black or white. We see a situation as only bad or only good without any middle ground between these extremes. Examples: "I got an F on my test, I must be stupid." "I could not fulfill the request of a friend, I must be an awful person." "I didn't get the promotion, I should quit my job"
• Overgeneralization: This is when something bad happens to us once, we foresee this bad thing or negative things occuring to us again in the future as a pattern. Examples: "She declined my offer to take her on a date, I will never find love" "I couldn't get into the class I needed. I will never graduate" "Why do bad things always happen to me?"
• Mental Filtering: This is when we only focus on the negative aspects of a situation and ignore or filter out any positive aspects. Examples: Thinking you are terrible at conversation after having one awkward conversation with someone at a party even though you had several great conversations with others at the same party. Receiving a work review which indicated you had one area of improvement which you are focused on although you had several areas of strengths noted in the same review.
• Mind-Reading or Jumping to Conclusions: This is when we assume we know what someone else may be thinking without any evidence for this thought. Examples: Someone seems irritated in their conversation over text and you assume you did something bad to them. A couple on the street smiles at you and you assume they are doing that because they feel pity because you are walking alone.
• Fortune Telling: This is when we predict a negative outcome to a situation although we don't have evidence to back this prediction. Examples: "I applied to the job, but they aren't going to give me the position" "I agreed to go on a date, but it's going to be a disaster."
• Magnification: This is when we focus on flaws or mistakes and blow them out of proportion. Examples: "I got my best friend the most thoughtful gift, but I forgot a card. The gift is ruined now." "I had a great text conversation with someone I like, but didn't send a goodnight text before I went to bed. They probably think I am rude."
• Emotional Reasoning: This is when we assume our emotions are proof or evidence for the truth. Examples: "I feel scared to be outside, being outside must be dangerous" "I feel worried going to this party, something bad must be coming."
• Should Statements: This is when we set rules for ourselves and others on how we should feel, think, or behave. These should statements are often pessimistic and make us feel hopeless when we deviate from them. Examples: "I should never eat unhealthy." "I should always complete my task on time"
• Labeling: This is when we attach a negative label onto ourselves or others based on one single event. Examples: You label yourself as ugly because one piece of clothing did not look good on you. You label your coworker as a jerk because they did not say hello back this morning.
• Personalization: This is when you assume other people's actions or behaviors are a direct response to something you said or did, even when it is not or when we see ourselves as the cause of a negative event when it was not in our control. Examples: "My husband is in a bad mood. I did something wrong" when in reality, something happened at work. "My friend is ignoring me, I probably said something upsetting" when in reality, they are not by their phone.
• Catastrophizing: This is when we imagine the worst possible outcome to happen and predicting that there is no way to adapt or cope with this outcome. This is an extension of "magnification," but to an extreme. We expect the worst-case scenario to occur. Examples: "I haven't heard back from all the schools I applied to, but I received one rejection. I am not going to get into any of the schools and end up without a job." "My boyfriend said he doesn't want to see me today. He's going to break up with me and I am never going to find love again"

These are just a few to name and define, but there are several other thought distortions that you can read about and inform yourself with on this site and this site. 

Stop and Think:

Do you recognize any of these thought distortions in yourself? Think of 3 past/present scenarios that you can apply a thought distortion to. Determine which thought distortion(s) apply to practice how to identify these in our everyday lives.