Struggling with Depression or Anxiety? Common thoughts to look out for

A list of Cognitive Distortions or common thinking errors

Below is a list of different thinking errors with descriptions or examples. Thinking errors are not at all uncommon and will usually contribute to feelings of depression and anxiety.

Filtering: Magnifying the negative aspects of self while ignoring positive examples.

Polarized Thinking: No middle ground, also known as black and white thinking, “Im either perfect or I am a failure.”

Overgeneralization: Coming to a conclusion based off a singular event, “my day started off bad so the rest of the day will be bad as well.”

Mind Reading: Assuming other people’s thoughts without asking, including how they may feel about you.

Catastrophizing: “What ifing” Expecting a disaster or dwelling on the worst possible scenario when there are equally likely less severe or even positive scenarios to consider.

Personalization: Comparing self to others, also thinking peoples actions are directly based off of a reaction to you.

Control Fallacies: Externally controlled means not having any control and are left to fate, internally controlled people feel responsible for theirs and other’s happiness and pain.

Blaming: Either blaming others for your pain, or taking on the blame of others problems.

Shoulds: Having a list of expectations or rules that are non-negotiable. Getting angry when others break the rules or feel guilty when self breaks the rules.

Emotional Reasoning: Believing what you feel about yourself or others. I feel stupid therefore I am stupid.

Fallacy of Change: Believing that people will change themselves to your preferences based on pressure. Expecting happiness from others changing to your preference.

Global Labeling: Identifying one or two qualities as an all encompassing negative judgment.

Being Right: Always needing to be right, putting yourself on trial to prove opinions or actions that you believe to be correct.

Cognitive distortions or thinking errors are more common than people think.

I hope that providing a list and some examples of thinking errors that people are able to recognize how thinking in these ways can lead to feelings of depression and anxiety. This is by no means a quick fix, but hopefully, in being mindful of our thoughts we are better able to think and feel our way through any problems we face in life. If you would like assistance in reducing negative thinking errors please reach out today for a free 20 minute consultation.

Dr. John Lloyd