Unhelpful thinking styles are ways that our brain processes information that can contribute to feeling badly about ourselves, and add fuel to our shame and anxiety. These styles of thinking are automatic and often occur without our awareness. They filter our thoughts, beliefs, and experiences, leading to biased interpretations and judgments. Unhelpful thinking styles (otherwise known as cognitive distortions) can manifest in various ways, such as black-and-white thinking, overgeneralization, mental filtering, jumping to conclusions, personalization, and catastrophizing to name a few. We will explore each of these in more detail in this blog post. It is important to recognize and challenge these distortions in order to cultivate healthier thought patterns and promote emotional well-being. By understanding our unhelpful thinking styles and discovering ways to address them, we can gain a clearer understanding of ourselves, our emotions, and the world around us. our shame and anxiety.
Learning to name our unhelpful thinking patterns can be a helpful skill that we learn throughout therapy. Naming our thought patterns that are keeping us down is very helpful , we need to notice and name our problematic thinking styles in order to address them . Now, we all experience some of these unhelpful thinking styles from time to time. However if one or more of these ways of thinking are causing problems in your relationships, at school or work, or keeping your mood down , it’s time to address them with a therapist.
As you read through, notice which unhelpful thinking styles you find yourself getting stuck in. Make a note of it and bring it up with your therapist next session to be able to dive deeper into this.
Black and White Thinking
Seeing things as all or nothing, with no room in between for possibilities.
For example: if I don’t give 100%, I’ve failed.
Mental filter
Only seeing and paying attention to certain types of evidence, mostly negative.
For example: Only seeing the dirty laundry your partner leaves on the ground and not that they emptied the dishwasher.
Disqualifying the positive
Not taking into consideration any positives of the situation or saying the positives don’t count.
For example: Receiving lots of positive feedback on a presentation you did but only remembering one critical comment.
Jumping to conclusions
Making assumptions without evidence that they are true. Assuming things are worse than they actually are.
For example: Meeting a new person and thinking they’re going to think i’m weird.
Catastrophizing
Blowing things out of proportion, seeing small problems as a “catastrophe.”
For example: If I don’t get an A in the course, my life will be over.
Minimization
Shrinking something to seem less important .
For example: Receiving a compliment on a shirt and saying, “Oh, it’s just a hand me down.”
Emotional reasoning
Using our emotions as facts.
For example: I feel anxious so something bad must be about to happen.
Shoulding & musting
Using judgemental words (I should, I must) that make us feel guilty or like a failure.
For example: I should be married with kids at my age.
Labelling
Assigning labels to ourselves that put us in a box.
For example: I’m lazy because I don’t get up early.
Personalization
Believing things are your fault for something that wasn’t.
For example: My boss is in a bad mood, I must have done something to make them mad.
As you go throughout your day, if you find yourself thinking in a way that’s not helpful, see if your thought might fit into any one of the above categories. Notice what story you are telling yourself that might not be true . Changing your thinking patterns IS possible. It takes practice, persistence and a deep dive into it with your therapist. You spend a lot of time in your mind, let’s make it a nice place to be.
About the Author
Dana Etherington is the owner of Cedar Tree Therapy, a psychotherapy practice for young adults that is located in Whitby, Ontario.