Cognitive distortions: what they are, what they are and what to do

Cognitive distortions are distorted ways that people have to interpret certain everyday situations, with negative consequences for their lives, causing unnecessary suffering.

There are several types of cognitive distortions, many of which can manifest in the same person and, although it can happen in different cases, it is more common in those who suffer from depression.

The detection, analysis and resolution of these situations can be done using psychotherapy sessions, namely cognitive-behavioral therapy.

1. Catastrophization

Catastrophization is a distortion of reality in which the person is pessimistic and negative about a situation that has happened or will happen, without taking into account other possible outcomes.

Examples: "If I lose my job, I will never be able to find another one", "I made a mistake in the exam, I will fail".

2. Emotional reasoning

Emotional reasoning happens when the person assumes that his emotions are a fact, that is, he considers what he feels to be absolute truth.

Examples: "I feel like my colleagues talk about me behind my back", "I feel like she doesn't like me anymore".

3. Polarization

Polarization, also known as all-or-nothing thinking, is a cognitive distortion in which a person sees situations in only two exclusive categories, interpreting situations or people in absolute terms.

Examples: "Everything went wrong in the meeting that happened today", "I did everything wrong".

4. Selective abstraction

Also known as tunnel vision, selective abstraction is given to situations in which only one aspect of a given situation is highlighted, especially the negative, ignoring the positive aspects.

Examples: "Nobody likes me", "The day went wrong".

5. Mental reading

Mental reading is a cognitive abstraction that consists in guessing and believing, without evidence, in what other people are thinking, discarding other hypotheses.

Examples: "He is not paying attention to what I am saying, it is because he is not interested."

6. Lettering

This cognitive distortion consists of labeling a person and defining him by a certain situation, isolated.

Examples: "She is a bad person", "That person did not help me, he is selfish".

7. Minimization and maximization

Minimization and maximization is characterized by minimizing personal characteristics and experiences and maximizing defects and / or negative aspects.

Examples: "I had a good grade on the test, but there were better grades than mine", "I managed to take the course because it was easy".