CBT, Cognitive distortions, and How to Challenge Negative Thinking Patterns by Sarah Hart, MA, LCPC
When beginning therapy, you may wonder what type of treatment you need and what would be most beneficial. One of the most prominent modes of therapy, particularly in the treatment of anxiety and depression, is cognitive behavioral therapy (otherwise known as CBT). According to the American Psychological Association,
“Numerous research studies suggest that CBT leads to significant improvement in functioning and quality of life. In many studies, CBT has been demonstrated to be as effective as, or more effective than, other forms of psychological therapy or psychiatric medications.”
Often, doctors will recommend a combination of CBT and medication.
So, how do you know if CBT is the right fit for you?
Some of the primary symptoms which CBT effectively treats are patterns of unhealthy cognitions or ways of thinking, in conjunction with maladaptive behaviors which negatively affect an individual’s well-being. When this is the case, CBT is beneficial in aiding the recognition of these thoughts, understanding behaviors and where they stem from and ultimately, teaching ways to challenge these negative thought patterns for positive outcomes.
One of the core principles of CBT is education surrounding cognitive distortions. The following is a list of common distortions and their meanings:
All or nothing thinking
one extreme or the other; viewing things as all good or all bad rather than identifying a middle ground/ grey area
Mental filter
Filtering a situation to focus only on the negative rather than its entirety
Jumping to conclusions
Making assumptions without evidence to support
Emotional reasoning
Believing in any feeling or emotion as facts/logic or absolute truth
Overgeneralizing
Basing future events on one singular occurrence
Disqualifying the positives
Dismissing positives in situations (similar to mental filtering)
Minimization
Seeing any strengths or positives as minimal or unimportant
Catastrophizing
Believing the worst-case scenario to be the only outcome
“Shoulds”
Focusing on how you believe things “should” or are supposed to be rather than reality
Labeling
Assigning yourself a negative belief because of a singular situation, I.e. “I am a failure”
Personalization
Blaming yourself for external events that may have been out of your control
Blaming
Taking no responsibility for your own actions
Mind reading
Assuming you know what others are thinking (typically negative judgments about you)
Fortune telling
Making predictions about the future typically based on one negative experience
While there are multiple types of distorted thoughts, it is very common to experience more than one. Typically, when an individual struggles with these thought patterns, it amplifies their anxiety and depression which can lead to isolation, impulsiveness, panic attacks, low self-worth and overall poor mental health. Thankfully, CBT offers many different coping mechanisms and skills to combat these thoughts.
The first method of attack is to increase awareness and identification of these distorted thoughts. Once we can identify when they occur, it is much easier to challenge them in the moment. Sometimes our body can physically alert us before our mind by things such as a racing heart, headache or sweatiness. Additionally, specific situations or people may “trigger” common distortions. Some refer to this as the three Cs:
“catch it,” “check it,” “change it.”
After identifying these distortions, we can begin the challenge and reframe process. One common technique is along the lines of “playing detective” or more formally called “Socratic questioning.” Through Socratic questioning you will ask yourself the following questions:
Is the thought realistic or irrational?
Is the thought based on emotions or factual information?
What evidence is there to support this thought?
What evidence DOES NOT support this thought? Could I be misinterpreting a situation?
Once we can assess the validity of negative thoughts, we can begin to consider alternatives and reframe the thought with a more positive, healthy, alternate belief. Many individuals find writing these thought challenges out or utilizing cognitive restructuring worksheets and thought records to help guide the thought challenge.
Additional techniques that can be utilized to cope with distorted thought patterns include guided imagery, visualization, mindfulness and role play techniques in therapy sessions. Individual therapy to provide more in-depth coping mechanisms with CBT is always recommended.
To learn more or connect with someone from our team please reach out to Lotus Therapy Group at 708-552-7330 or email us at lotustherapygroup@gmail.com.
