Anxiety and cognitive distortions

Anxiety and distorted thinking

Is your outlook very black and white?  Do the what ifs get in the way of you making a decision about anything?

In CBT practitioners use the term 'cognitive distortions' to describe this type of thinking. Do some of these apply to you?

Catastophise or minimise

Exaggerate the importance of your mistakes or to believe the worst case scenario will happen.  Or to minimise your qualities, achievements or your pain.  I will often hear from clients that others have it far worse than them.

Black and white thinking

Everything is seen in absolute terms.  There is no grey with this thinking.  If your achievements aren't perfect - then in your mind you have failed.  The reality is is that we achieve success in little steps which then leads to big steps but this can get lost when someone is expecting themselves to know everything and be perfect. 

Mind Reading

Assume that people are reacting badly to you or will judge you.  It can also be that you think you know what others are thinking about you and can lead to all sorts of imaginary scenarios that are very unlikely to be true.

'Should' statements

The shoulds, ought to and have tos - says who?  "I should just get over it".  These often describe a feeling of having to but not really wanting to.  This will often lead to guilt and inhibit motivation.  This can then lead to a sense of failure on top of the guilt, leaving the person in a repetitive cycle of shoulds.

Disqualify the positive

Ignore positive achievements and to discredit yourself.  Focusing on the negatives rather than celebrating your success.  "I ran the marathon but I wasn't fast enough".

Jump to conclusions

To jump quickly to interpret events or ideas negatively without anything to support this conclusion.  "They must have decided that they didn't want me at the party because I am too boring."  Ask yourself - how true is that?  What is the likelihood that your friends would be thinking that?

Kirsty Birnstiel is a counsellor in private practice based in West London.

www.kirstybirnstiel.co.uk