Cognitive Distortions

"The rain ruined my picnic. It’s obviously because I didn’t plan everything perfectly. If only I could control the weather!"

• FILTERING- Focusing on the negative; ignoring the positive

• POLARIZED THINKING- all-or-nothing thinking; ignoring complexity

• CONTROL FALLACIES- Assumes only others are to blame; Assumes only self is to blame

• FALLACY OF FAIRNESS- Assumes life should be fair

• OVERGENERALIZATION- Assumes a rule from one experience

Answer explanation

Control Fallacies:

This involves feeling responsible for things beyond your control or believing that others are completely at fault.

"I burned dinner once, so now I’m never cooking again. I’m just terrible at it. Why even bother trying?"

• 
  FILTERING- Focusing on the negative; ignoring the positive

• 
  OVERGENERALIZATION- Assumes a rule from one experience

• POLARIZED THINKING: all-or-nothing thinking; ignoring complexity

• 
  FALLACY OF FAIRNESS- Assumes life should be fair

• EMOTIONAL REASONING-

  "If I feel it, it must be true."

Answer explanation

Overgeneralization:

Taking one negative event and assuming it applies to everything, making it seem like a pattern.

"I got five compliments on my outfit, but the one person who didn’t like it? That’s all I can focus on. Clearly, my fashion choices are a disaster."

• FILTERING- Focusing on the negative; ignoring the positive

• 
  POLARIZED THINKING: all-or-nothing thinking; ignoring complexity

• FALLACY OF FAIRNESS- Assumes life should be fair

• 
  EMOTIONAL REASONING-

  "If I feel it, it must be true."

• FALLACY OF CHANGE-

  Expects others to change

Answer explanation

Filtering:

Focusing only on the negative and ignoring the positive aspects of a situation.

"I either have to be perfect at everything I do, or I might as well give up. There’s no in-between."

• FALLACY OF FAIRNESS- Assumes life should be fair

• FALLACY OF CHANGE-

  Expects others to change

• POLARIZED THINKING: all-or-nothing thinking; ignoring complexity

• EMOTIONAL REASONING-

  "If I feel it, it must be true."

• "SHOULDS"-

  Holds tight to personal rules of behavior and judges self and others if rules are broken

Answer explanation

Polarized Thinking/ All-or-Nothing Thinking:

Polarized thinking, or all-or-nothing thinking, sees things as either perfect or a total failure, with no middle ground.

"Why did she get a promotion? I’ve worked just as hard, and it's totally unfair! The universe owes me a promotion AND a cupcake for this injustice."

• 
  "SHOULDS"-

  Holds tight to personal rules of behavior and judges self and others if rules are broken

• FALLACY OF FAIRNESS- Assumes life should be fair

• 
  EMOTIONAL REASONING-

  "If I feel it, it must be true."

• 
  FALLACY OF CHANGE-

  Expects others to change

• CATASTROPHIZING-

  Expecting the worst-case scenario;

  Minimizing the positive

Answer explanation

Fallacy of Fairness:

Expecting life to always be fair. When things don't seem equal or don't go as expected, it leads to frustration. In this example, the person feels entitled to a promotion for working "just as hard' as her co-worker, ignoring other possible factors like timing or qualifications.

"I feel like today’s going to be awful, so obviously, it’s going to be the worst day ever. My feelings must be the ultimate truth."

• 
  CATASTROPHIZING-

  Expecting the worst-case scenario;

  Minimizing the positive

• HEAVEN'S REWARD FALLACY-

  Expecting self-sacrifice

  to be rewarded

• FALLACY OF CHANGE-

  Expects others to change

• EMOTIONAL REASONING-

  "If I feel it, it must be true."

• "SHOULDS"-

  Holds tight to personal rules of behavior and judges self and others if rules are broken

Answer explanation

Emotional Reasoning:

This is when our feelings make us believe something is true, even if the facts say otherwise. The person assumes that just because they feel something (like anxiety or dread) must be true, while ignoring evidence that might say otherwise.

"I missed one email this morning. Now my entire career is doomed. I'll probably get fired and end up living under a bridge with a sign that says 'Former Office Worker.'"

• 
  HEAVEN'S REWARD FALLACY-

  Expecting self-sacrifice

  to be rewarded

• 
  "SHOULDS"-

  Holds tight to personal rules of behavior and judges self and others if rules are broken

• 
  FALLACY OF CHANGE-

  Expects others to change

• CATASTROPHIZING-

  Expecting the worst-case scenario;

  Minimizing the positive

• ALWAYS BEING RIGHT-

  Being wrong is unacceptable;

  Being right supercedes everything

Answer explanation

Catastrophizing:

Imagining the worst possible outcome, even if it’s unlikely.

"I spent all day doing laundry and cleaning, so the universe owes me an all-inclusive vacation on a tropical island and a lifetime supply of chocolate."

• FALLACY OF CHANGE-

  Expects others to change

• ALWAYS BEING RIGHT-

  Being wrong is unacceptable;

  Being right supercedes everything

• PERSONALIZATION-

  Always assuming self is responsible

• "SHOULDS"-

  Holds tight to personal rules of behavior and judges self and others if rules are broken

• HEAVEN'S REWARD FALLACY-

  Expecting self-sacrifice

  to be rewarded

Answer explanation

Heaven's Reward Fallacy

This distortion involves the expectation that self-sacrifice or hard work should always be rewarded, often in an unrealistic or grand way. The person assumes that their good deeds should be "paid back" with something large and extraordinary.

"If I keep hinting, my partner will start cleaning the house more. Obviously, my happiness depends on them vacuuming every day."

• PERSONALIZATION-

  Always assuming self is responsible

• JUMPING TO CONCLUSIONS-

  Makes assumptions based on

  little evidence

• FALLACY OF CHANGE-

  Expects others to change

• 
  "SHOULDS"-

  Holds tight to personal rules of behavior and judges self and others if rules are broken

• 
  ALWAYS BEING RIGHT-

  Being wrong is unacceptable;

  Being right supercedes everything

Answer explanation

Fallacy of Change

The Fallacy of Change is the belief that other people will change to suit your needs or desires. In this case, the individual expects their partner to change behavior in order to make them happy, which is unrealistic and places responsibility on the other person rather than addressing one's own needs or desires.

"I know I’m right about this, even though all the evidence says otherwise. Who needs facts when I have my unshakable confidence?"

• 
  
  "SHOULDS"-

  Holds tight to personal rules of behavior and judges self and others if rules are broken

• 
  
  ALWAYS BEING RIGHT-

  Being wrong is unacceptable;

  Being right supercedes everything

• BLAMING

  Assumes everyone else is at fault

• 
  PERSONALIZATION-

  Always assuming self is responsible

• JUMPING TO CONCLUSIONS-

  Makes assumptions based on

  little evidence

Answer explanation

Always Being Right

Insisting on being right no matter what, even when the facts don’t support it.