A Lesson in Managing Cognitive Distortions

Cognitive Distortions

What is a cognitive distortion? How do they affect us? How does one combat a cognitive distortion or negative thought? These topics will all be covered in this article.

First, what is a cognitive distortion? As defined by Harvard Health, “cognitive distortions are internal mental filters or biases that increase our misery, fuel our anxiety, and make us feel bad about ourselves”. All factions of life create cognitive distortions. Sports, school, and extracurricular activities are breeding groups for negative thoughts. The most common cognitive distortions are…

• All-or-nothing thinking

• Jumping to conclusions

• Personalization

• Internal pressure

• Overgeneralization

• Filtration

Alone, these are manageable, but together, they can be debilitating and detrimental to one’s quality of life. The negative effects of cognitive distortions can be exponential if not treated and managed, but how does one manage a cognitive distortion?

There are a series of tactics and strategies to minimize the destructive tendencies of cognitive distortion. The first is recognition. Once you are aware of how you frame yourself and the world, it is easier to move on and correct your perspective. Struggling is a natural, debatably necessary, part of life, but having the resiliency to try again declares your intent to overcome the problem.

Another strategy is to disconnect any personal feelings attached. Not everything is meant to hurt you. Not everything can be about you. My coach refers to this as a fundamental attribution error. Just because you think one thing is true does not mean it is the reality. Inhibiting those destructive, self-diminishing thoughts from spiraling makes little things easier to brush off.

Finally, talking to people about your problems can help you cope and come to the conclusion you’re being irrational. My favorite way to work through a problem, academically or personally, is to talk to someone, but they do not respond. I can say everything I want, work through it in my head, and come to a conclusion on my own. Talking is my approach, but everyone has their own. It could be journaling, drawing, or meditating. As long as it works for you and is productive.

Each cognitive distortion is different. For example, all-or-nothing thinking construes only the best and worst-case scenarios while personalization portrays everything as an attack on you. Knowing what distortions influence your life the most allows you to advance your mental toughness and productivity.