Everyone has irrational and negative thoughts once in a while. But what happens when they become frequent and intense?
here are times when we see things as more negative than they really are. It doesn’t matter what the evidence or experience tells us — once we put on that negative filter, it can be difficult to perceive something any other way.
This is called a cognitive distortion.
When negative or irrational thinking continues, it could affect how you see yourself, others, and the world in general.
You might start operating under false assumptions. These assumptions may affect your mood and behaviors, and in turn, lead to symptoms of anxiety and depression.
But fixing cognitive distortions is possible — it just first requires you to identify your negative thoughts for what they are.
Once you do, you may learn that it’s typically not the situation that upsets you, but rather the thoughts or opinions about it.
And you can change your thoughts and opinions.
How do you know if you’re using cognitive distortions?
Well, you definitely are! We all do at some point.
Almost all negative thinking is linked to these distortions.
The key to stopping negative thinking is identifying those distortions you use the most, and those that may be affecting your mood the most.
Identifying them may be challenging at first because they often feel like logical, accurate thoughts. They make sense to you at some level, so you believe them.
How do you stop negative thoughts? By fixing cognitive distortions. Here are a few ways you can start:
Read yourself
Identify the type of distortion
Change roles
Examine the evidence
Sum of its parts
Read yourself by checking in
If you experience anxiety throughout the day without a clear trigger or reason, you may be using cognitive distortions in the moment.
You may feel “stressed” or even have physical symptoms like muscle tension or a racing heart, but not realize that it’s anxiety.
If you experience anxiety but are not sure why, you may want to check in with yourself by asking these questions:
Am I focused on this task, or is my mind somewhere else?
Is my body tense?
Do I have any unusual physical symptoms like a stomachache or racing heart?
When did I start having these signs?
here are times when we see things as more negative than they really are. It doesn’t matter what the evidence or experience tells us — once we put on that negative filter, it can be difficult to perceive something any other way.
This is called a cognitive distortion.
When negative or irrational thinking continues, it could affect how you see yourself, others, and the world in general.
You might start operating under false assumptions. These assumptions may affect your mood and behaviors, and in turn, lead to symptoms of anxiety and depression.
But fixing cognitive distortions is possible — it just first requires you to identify your negative thoughts for what they are.
Once you do, you may learn that it’s typically not the situation that upsets you, but rather the thoughts or opinions about it.
And you can change your thoughts and opinions.
How do you know if you’re using cognitive distortions?
Well, you definitely are! We all do at some point.
Almost all negative thinking is linked to these distortions.
The key to stopping negative thinking is identifying those distortions you use the most, and those that may be affecting your mood the most.
Identifying them may be challenging at first because they often feel like logical, accurate thoughts. They make sense to you at some level, so you believe them.
How do you stop negative thoughts? By fixing cognitive distortions. Here are a few ways you can start:
Read yourself
Identify the type of distortion
Change roles
Examine the evidence
Sum of its parts
Read yourself by checking in
If you experience anxiety throughout the day without a clear trigger or reason, you may be using cognitive distortions in the moment.
You may feel “stressed” or even have physical symptoms like muscle tension or a racing heart, but not realize that it’s anxiety.
If you experience anxiety but are not sure why, you may want to check in with yourself by asking these questions:
Am I focused on this task, or is my mind somewhere else?
Is my body tense?
Do I have any unusual physical symptoms like a stomachache or racing heart?
When did I start having these signs?