‘Types of distorted Thinking
Black ead Whhte Thinking: Seeing things in all c
nothing terms: Bither as totally good or totally
Overgeneralizing: Seaing 2 negative event as @
never-ending partern of defeat.
Negative Fittering: Seeing only the negative aspects
ofa situation while screening out the postive aspects,
Mind Reading: Assuming that others are (or will be)
thinking about you negatively.
Fortune Telling: Predicting that events will tum out
badly and thet you won't be able to do anything about
it
Magnifying/Minimizing: Overvaluing negative
information and undervaluing positive information.
Enotional Reasoaing: Assuming that ifyou fee!
something is rut, it must be mue,
‘Shoulding: Telling yourself that things should or
rst be a cerain way (eg, perfect) and it's terible if
they aren't
(Catastrophizing: Repeatedly imagining bad
outcomes; thinking they're likely or that you couldn't
stand it if they happen.
Personalizing: Placing 100% blame on ont person,
(ourself or someone else) for a negative event that
had many causes,
‘Questions to help compose an alternative response
1
‘Wht isthe evidence thatthe automatic thought is
‘rue? Not rue?
Isthere a alternative explanation?
‘What's the worst that could happen? Could live
‘through if? What's the best that could happen? What's
‘the most realistic outcome?
‘What's the effect of my believing the auromatic
thought? What could be the effect of
ght? ‘changing may
‘What should I do about it?
1f___ (friend's name) was in the situation and
bad thls thought, what would I tell him/her?
‘Types of Adaptive Ts
10.
ui
Look
things in black or white all-or nothing. te
‘he shades of gray. A thing is rarely either:
absolucly worthless
Remembering Past successes: Balance you!
view by recalling some past successes or posit
events.
Looking for a positive: Instead of seeing only 2h
negative aspects of a situation, find at least oe
positive (a silver lining).
Decentering: None of us is atthe ceater of
‘universe. People have other things 10 do th
around thinking negative thoughts about you. They
may just be thinking about whar to have for lunch.
Allowing yoursef to hopes little: Dare ro make 2
hopefil statement and act on it. Hope, even litle
hope, can provide power to sustain you ustil yeu get
‘where you waat 0 go.
Making molehills: Instead of making mountains ou
of molekills, break big problems down into sm
pisces or action steps
Balancing emotion with logic: Have vour emeticus
always been the best indicetor or what's tue? How
many times have you feta seise of doom and had
thinge mire out okay? The situation mey nct
1s you feel. What does logic say?
Gaining perspective: If 0 ~ breaking s Sngemail end
100 = nuclear holocaust, whet rating woul
the event your dealing with right now? Will you
remember this event in a week? A month? A
Five years? Hf you do, will you feel the seme way
about if? Compare yourself to those less forrunere.
(Compare this time to the worst period in your life.
Adjusting unrealistic expectations: it doesn't belp
to tell yourself that things “should” or “shouldn't 5¢
certain way and it’s terrible if they're not, Be
realistic with yourself and others. Keep in mind
everyone is fallible. Whet's unacceptable to cn:
person may be just fine to another
De-catestrophizing: what resources are availa
‘you (people, places, things)? If the worst bepy
‘what's the first thing you wauld do to stan gening
back on tack? Then what? Then what? Can you see
yourself eventually recovering fi
‘Might you even surprise yourself exd rebound
quickly?
Being solution-focused: don'tiblame one pe
(ee, your f Five event thet b
many likely causes, Remember that human beings are
by anue fallible beings. Focus on caveloping
solutions, not on criticizing, blaming end punis