Ways To Manage Cognitive Distortion

March 26 2024 TalktoAngel 0 comments 466 Views

Sometimes, we perceive things as being more negative than they are. It doesn't matter what evidence or experience says- it can be hard to see things differently once you have put that negative filter on. This is known as cognitive distortion.

Negative or irrational thinking can hurt your perception of yourself, others, and the world. It is possible to fall prey to false assumptions. These false assumptions can affect your moods and behavior, which in turn could lead to Anxiety and Depression. It is possible to correct cognitive distortions. All you need to do is identify the negative thoughts and their causes. Online Counselling can prove to be extremely helpful. You may find that it is not the situation that is causing you distress, but your thoughts and opinions about it. Your online therapist can help you change your opinions and thoughts.

What are Cognitive Distortions?

Cognitive distortions can be described as internal mental biases or filters that cause us to feel unhappy, increase our anxiety, or make us feel worse about ourselves. Our brains process a lot of information every day and look for shortcuts to reduce our mental load. These shortcuts can sometimes be helpful, but in some cases -- like with unhelpful cognitive filters -- they can do more harm than good.

These are the main cognitive distortions (some overlap).

Black-and-white thinking (or all-or-nothing): I have nothing to add, I am completely worthless.

Jumping to conclusions or mind-reading: My doctor will surely tell me that I have cancer.

Personalization: My team lost because I didn’t perform well.

Should-ing and Must-ing (using self-critical language that places a lot of pressure on oneself): I should lose weight if I want to get into a relationship

Mental filter (focusing only on the negative aspects of a situation, such as an aspect that you did not do well with): I have trouble getting a promotion because I didn’t get good grades in my bachelor

Overgeneralization: I won't find a partner ever in my life.

Magnification and Minimization (magnifying negatives, minimizing the positives): This was the only interview I got a chance to attend, and I won’t get any in the future.

Fortune-telling: I'm going to have high cholesterol.

Catastrophizing: It is a combination of fortune-telling, all-or-nothing thinking, and blowing things out of proportion. This patch on my skin is most likely skin cancer. I'll soon die.

Labeling: I'm not a healthy person.

Change cognitive distortions by challenging the thought process

It is important to be aware of cognitive distortions and pay attention to how you frame things. Good mental habits are just as important as healthy physical habits. A positive, healthy frame of mind will almost always help us feel less anxious and Isolated. This does not mean we should ignore our problems, challenges, and feelings. Rather, we need to approach them with a positive attitude, rather than allowing our thoughts or feelings to increase our anxiety.

Stop Cognitive Distortions by

1. Journaling

Thought Journaling is a powerful way to express your feelings. It's an effective tool to identify cognitive distortions and help you determine the best and most logical next steps. After you have kept your journal open for a while, you will also have a complete repository of thoughts. This will allow you to track your progress and help you identify and correct negative thought patterns.

2. Refute assumptions

Are you worried about never finding your true love? Are you afraid that you will be fired? Are you apathetic to the standards of your colleagues and friends?

These limiting beliefs all have one thing in common. They are false assumptions about yourself that are rooted in shame. This method involves several simple steps that will help you recognize negative beliefs and encourage positive thinking.

What are your basic beliefs that lead to negative thoughts and self-destructive behavior?

Is that an assumption? Is there a source or fact for it? What is the reason you believe this assumption?

What are the benefits and drawbacks of this assumption?

Is there a more accurate or better way to maximize the benefits and minimize the disadvantages?

3. Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a simple concept that's often misunderstood. Mindfulness refers to the art of being in the present moment. Mindfulness, a simpler form of deeper meditation can help to calm the mind and reduce obsessive or rumination. Mindfulness can be used to help you get back in the center of things when cognitive distortions are causing problems. It involves body scanning, intentional breathing, and focused awareness.

4. Re-attribution

Cognitive distortions such as personalization and blaming can lead to you taking on more responsibility than necessary. Re-attribution is a technique that helps you change this thought pattern. It re-distributes the blame to external factors that may have contributed to the situation. Instead of blaming yourself for everything, it is possible to learn to share the blame with others and the entire situation. This is not an attempt to shift all blame to yourself, but rather to accept a healthier proportion of blame by the current situation.

5. Cost-benefit analysis

What cognitive distortions are helping you or hurting you? This is the main question the cost-benefit analysis process attempts to answer. You can see that your cognitive distortions only provide a limited framework for evaluating your experience. You may then be more likely to overcome and challenge them. Make a list of the pros and cons, and then evaluate.

Online counseling to manage cognitive distortions

TalktoAngel can help you connect with professionals like Online Therapists and the Best Clinical Psychologists in India who specialize in helping people overcome cognitive distortions. TalktoAngel can connect you with an Online Counsellor or a therapist who can help with mindfulness, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Group Therapy, and Life Coaching. These online counselling services can often be more affordable than individual in-person therapy sessions.

Contribution by: Dr (Prof) R K Suri, Best Clinical Psychologist & Life Coach & Mr. Utkarsh Yadav, Counselling Psychologist