Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) is a treatment approach that helps to recognize negative or unhelpful thoughts and behaviour patterns. CBT aims to help us identify and explore the ways one’s emotions and thoughts can affect our actions. Also, deal with overwhelming problems in a more positive way by breaking them down into smaller parts.
Some common cognitive distortions with examples:
1. Polarized thinking:
People think in extremes. Eg Women bosses are tough to be with.
2. Overgeneralization:
People conclude by overgeneralizing. For eg, if one relationship has ended badly, develop a belief that you are not fit for any relationships.
3. Catastrophizing:
Thinking leads to assuming or dreading the worst when faced with the unknown. For eg, Child has not come back home on time, developing a fear that he/she is in danger and the family will suffer.
4. Personalization:
Taking things personally when they are not connected or caused by you at all. For eg, Blaming oneself that is not your fault or beyond your control.
5. Mind reading:
When people assume what others are thinking. For eg, In relationship issues, one starts assuming what the other person meant or going to say.
6. Mental Filtering:
Tendency to ignore the positives and focus exclusively on the negatives. For eg, Becoming critical, and judgemental and having negative perspectives may make you feel hopeless.
7. Discounting the positives:
It involves negative bias in thinking. For eg, Instead of acknowledging a good outcome is the result of hard work, determination, skill or smart choices, people start to assume that it must be an accident or something unusual.
8. Should statements:
When people find themselves thinking in terms of what should or ought to be said or done. For eg, this is rooted in the internalized family or cultural expectations which might not be appropriate for an individual.
9. Emotional Reasoning:
It is the false belief that your emotions are the truth – the way you feel about a situation is a reliable indicator of reality. For eg, it is a pattern of thinking when people are with or without anxiety or depression.
10. Labelling:
People define themselves or others based on a single event or behaviour. For eg, Characteristic or descriptors like Drunk or Failure.
It is okay if you are going through or struck in any of these thought process. One can identify the unhelpful thoughts, its severity and also can learn the altered thoughts. Almost all of us go through this, however we seldom come out and seek help.
Most times, our pillow becomes the listener or some substances are used to temporarily forget the issue. Both are not healthy in the long run, As a Cognitive behaviour therapist, I can help you to understand the root cause of the issues so that you can live free of negative thoughts.
Commentaires