Hi guys and girls. I am going to list 8 more distortions to be on the lookout for. If you are not familiar with cognitive distortions or how they impact you please refer to Cognitive Distortions
Let's pick up where we left off
8. All or Nothing Thinking
All or Nothing thinking is about how you perceive things to be "Black and White"and leave no room for the "Gray". Black and White thinking is done in absolutes such as I am unlovable, I am undesirable, I will never get a girlfriend, I will never get a boyfriend, I will never get married, etc. If you get negative thoughts like these then your thinking may be distorted.
9. Emotional Reasoning
Emotional reasoning is using ones emotions to make decisions. It is important to not make all decisions in the logical or emotional sides of the brain. The brain is a unit and needs to be used as such. For example, you are having distorted thoughts such as "I have anxiety, therefore I am flawed, I am not smart, therefore I can't go to college, I am single, therefore I must be undesirable, etc." If these types of thoughts plague your mind frequently, you may have distorted thinking.
10. Fortune Telling
Fortune telling is predicting the future in a constant negative, illogical, and undesirable way. Fortune Telling is different from mind reading so make sure to not confuse the two. If you do not know about the mind reading cognitive distortion please review the post linked above. Some examples, I am so angry I won't be able to focus at work, I am so sad that I won't be able to enjoy the rest of my day, I am so fat that no one will love me, I am too short and I will be picked on, I am so stressed I am going to die, etc. If you often find yourself predicting undesirable and negative possible fates then you may have distorted thinking.
11. Control Fallacy
Control Fallacy is the idea that everything that happens to you is out of your control or that you can or should be able to control everything. For example, you are not an active participant in your life and everyone and everything else controls you, you will always find ways to victimize yourself in any situation, or you attempt to take complete control of situations, people, or environments. This is also more commonly known as a "control freak".
12. Fallacy Of Change
The fallacy of change occurs when someone attempts and expects others to reform or change to meet their approval. You will expect these people in your life to change to be suited better for your needs and desires. For example, a husband/wife who expects the other to change religions, change their physical appearance, or change personality traits and characteristics has very impaired cognitive thinking. "Take me as I am."
13. Always Being Right
Always being right means that you are never willing to intake new information that contradicts your own. If someone attempts to prove you wrong you will retaliate. Retaliation is usually very negative. Retaliation can include being yelled out, cussed out, blocked, unfollowed, and labeled. If you identify with this your thinking may be distorted.
14. Heaven's Reward Fallacy
"I let you read me so now I need something in return."
The heaven's reward fallacy occurs when you do something good and you expect to receive some sort of compensation or gratification. You never do things simply "out of the kindness of your heart" there is always a hidden motive. You may notice people will stop accepting and asking for favors during this time because they never know the price.
15. Selective Abstraction
Selective Abstraction occurs when you make an effort to only pay attention to one or more details as opposed to the actual point. For example, have you ever been in a disagreement or argument and at some point you end up arguing about something that had nothing to do with the original disagreement? This is very common and naturally happens under stress or when one is feeling attacked. It is critical to catch this in the moment and stay on topic so that things get resolved.
Thank you guys for reading and leaving amazing feedback. It's been awesome sharing cognitive distortions to better help people understand themselves and each other. My next take will cover skills and tools to rid yourself of distorted thinking. This is a NEGATIVE FREE ZONE!!!! So be kind to one another and spread joy. If you have personal questions or off topic questions please direct message them. I will not be answering them on public posts. Thanks for understanding and respecting my privacy!!!!! Disclaimer: I do not own or profit off of the Illustrations utilized in this post. Please give credit to the artists and support their works by giving a like or a follow to their pages. They are extremely talented and deserve recognition. Sending ☮️ and love ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
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