Table of Contents
What mental illness causes cognitive distortions?
Research suggests that cognitive distortions may occur in numerous mental health conditions. These include depression, dysphoria, and anxiety disorders. However, cognitive distortions aren’t considered a mental illness on their own. Cognitive distortions are common but can be hard to recognize if you don’t know what to look for. Many occur as automatic thoughts. They are so habitual that the thinker often doesn’t realize he or she has the power to change them. Many grow to believe that’s just the way things are. The main cognitive distortions are as follows (and some of them overlap): Black-and-white (or all-or-nothing) thinking: I never have anything interesting to say. Jumping to conclusions (or mind-reading): The doctor is going to tell me I have cancer. Personalization: Our team lost because of me. When we are anxious, it is possible that our thoughts are “distorted” in some way. Cognitive distortions are thoughts that are heavily influenced by emotions and may not be consistent with the facts of a situation. Fixing cognitive distortions and negative thinking requires work — but it’s possible. You may want to collaborate with a therapist and do some reframing exercises yourself. As you stop negative thinking, you may notice your mood improves in many aspects. These hacks and shortcuts (referred to as cognitive errors, in psychology) can lead our brains to essentially tell us lies and lead us to make errors in our thinking, decisions and interpretations. In turn, this distorted thinking can show up in the way in which we behave, the actions we take or the actions we avoid.
Is overthinking a cognitive distortion?
These types of thoughts fall into the category of overthinking, which can usually be described as negative thinking patterns or cognitive distortions. If any of these patterns describe you, you’re not alone. According to Tseng and Poppenk (2020), the average human being has at least 6,200 thoughts daily. Is overthinking a mental illness? No, overthinking isn’t a recognized mental health condition, but it can be a symptom of depression or anxiety. Overthinking is commonly associated with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), says Duke. GAD is characterized by the tendency to worry excessively about several things. Spiraling negative thoughts can be a result of overthinking. This tends to happen when we have few distractions – which is why lying awake at night churning things over in our mind is a familiar feeling to many. At the time, negative thoughts may seem completely rational and logical. So we believe them to be true. Curiously, in studying this topic lately, it turns out there’s a competing chemical called cortisol that is related to your hormones and stress levels. I find this so fascinating: Cortisol is a chemical in your brain that tends to flow more freely and spurs negative thoughts. Also known as cognitive distortions, distorted thinking disorder is a pattern of inaccurate, damaging thoughts. Many mental health disorders, including generalized anxiety, social anxiety, and personality disorders, are associated with distorted thinking.
What are the 3 types of distorted thinking?
Control fallacies, overgeneralization, and global labeling are a few common cognitive distortions that may lead to negative thinking. You’ve experienced cognitive distortions. As conscious beings we are always interpreting the world around us, trying to make sense of what is happening. Sometimes our brains take ‘short cuts’ and generate results that are not completely accurate. Different cognitive short cuts result in different kinds of bias or distortions in our thinking. Emotional reasoning. You rely on “gut” feelings over objective evidence to judge yourself and the world. For example, “I feel like a bad mother, therefore I must be a bad mother.” This kind of thinking can be harmful as it may lead to irrational decision making and judgements. Reframing is the CBT technique for stopping cognitive distortions. It is the developed habit of consciously changing how you feel during detrimental moments of cognitive distortions. “When we have intense, negative emotions – such as depression and anxiety – our thoughts are often overly negative. Research suggests people who have a history of trauma, depression, or stress may be more likely to produce false memories. Negative events may produce more false memories than positive or neutral ones.
What is distorted thinking a symptom of?
Distorted thinking, also called cognitive distortions, is a pattern of inaccurate, damaging thoughts. Distorted thinking is a common symptom of many different mental health disorders, including both generalized and social anxiety and personality disorders. Cognitive distortions are thoughts that cause individuals to perceive reality inaccurately. According to Aaron Beck’s cognitive model, a negative outlook on reality, sometimes called negative schemas (or schemata), is a factor in symptoms of emotional dysfunction and poorer subjective well-being. According to Beck’s (1976) model in times of high stress, cognitive distortions are likely to become activated. As a result, dysfunctional thinking arises, which can make a person more vulnerable to the development of emotional as well as behavioural type psychopathology (e.g., Frey & Epkins, 2002). Cognitive behavioural therapy holds that individuals with depression exhibit distorted modes of thinking, that is, cognitive distortions, that can negatively affect their emotions and motivation. Fixing cognitive distortions and negative thinking requires work — but it’s possible. You may want to collaborate with a therapist and do some reframing exercises yourself. As you stop negative thinking, you may notice your mood improves in many aspects. While overthinking itself is not a mental illness, it is associated with conditions including depression, anxiety, eating disorders and substance use disorders. Rumination can be common in people who have chronic pain and chronic illness as well, taking the form of negative thoughts about that pain and healing from it.