{"id":30120,"date":"2015-12-16T12:49:41","date_gmt":"2015-12-16T20:49:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/?page_id=30120"},"modified":"2016-01-21T12:30:33","modified_gmt":"2016-01-21T20:30:33","slug":"cognitive-distortions","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/cognitive-distortions\/","title":{"rendered":"Cognitive Distortion"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Abstract<\/a>Cognitive distortions<\/strong> are biased<\/a> or exaggerated thought patterns or beliefs. They may be irrational or misrepresent reality, and they can often\u00a0promote negative thinking.<\/p>\n

Understanding Cognitive Distortions<\/h2>\n

The concept of cognitive distortions was first proposed by Aaron Beck<\/a>, the founder of cognitive behavioral therapy<\/a>. Beck found the\u00a0people he treated for\u00a0depression often made vague references to negative thoughts\u00a0they did not report during free association<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Though he believed these expressed attitudes and assumptions may have developed from the past experiences of those in therapy, they did not always correspond to reality. Beck recognized these negative cognitions often\u00a0existed outside of conscious control and described them as “automatic thoughts.”\u00a0Beck believed negative automatic thoughts or thinking patterns were able to combine with negative emotional or physical symptoms and form maladaptive cycles that might\u00a0eventually produce serious mental health issues.<\/p>\n

\n\t

Find a Therapist<\/a><\/h2>\n\t
\n\n\t\t\t\n\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\tAdvanced Search<\/a>\n\t<\/form>\n<\/div>Beck posited 11 common cognitive distortions in his book Depression: Causes and Treatment<\/a>.\u00a0David Burns, a former student of Beck’s, elaborated upon his\u00a0work, popularizing his theories\u00a0in his own books,\u00a0Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy<\/a> and The Feeling Good Handbook<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Cognitive distortions are often associated with mental health concerns, but anyone, regardless of mental well-being,\u00a0can\u00a0be affected by cognitive distortions in some way. Often, one’s\u00a0response to cognitive distortions may be a\u00a0determining factor in the degree to which one is affected by them.<\/p>\n

Types of Cognitive Distortions<\/h2>\n

Mental health experts have identified several types of cognitive distortions affecting individuals\u00a0across different cultures, socioeconomic backgrounds, and age groups.<\/p>\n

Some common cognitive distortions include:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Jumping to conclusions,<\/strong> which\u00a0can\u00a0lead to\u00a0negative interpretations and assumptions made without proof to back them up. A person\u00a0might believe others are reacting in a negative way or predict negative outcomes for a situation.<\/li>\n
  2. All-or-nothing thinking\/polarization,<\/strong>\u00a0which can be described as a black-and-white perception of events and interactions.\u00a0Experiences are viewed as either complete successes or absolute failures.<\/li>\n
  3. Overgeneralization.\u00a0<\/strong>This\u00a0is the view of a single negative experience as proof of future failure.<\/li>\n
  4. Personalization<\/strong>\u00a0occurs when individuals\u00a0blame themselves for negative events\u00a0they had no control over or were not responsible for.<\/li>\n
  5. Emotional reasoning<\/strong>\u00a0describes a thought pattern in which reality exists as\u00a0a reflection of\u00a0a person’s\u00a0feelings. For example, a person who feels disliked by coworkers may reason this dislike to be reality.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Cognitive Distortions and Mental Health<\/h2>\n

    While Beck did not believe distorted thinking directly caused mental health concerns, he did find\u00a0cognitive distortions to be\u00a0a factor\u00a0in\u00a0the development of chronic conditions.<\/p>\n

    Cognitive distortions have been linked to\u00a0the following:<\/p>\n