Cognitive Distortions - How Thinking Errors Affect Mental Health

Over my 17 years as a counselor, I’ve had countless conversations with people- teens, young adults, and adults- who struggle with their mental health.

One theme that comes up again and again is how much of our mental well-being is affected by the way we think. More specifically, the way we can misinterpret things in our daily lives. These patterns of thinking, often referred to as cognitive distortions, can have a huge impact on how we feel, act, and see ourselves.

But what exactly are cognitive distortions? Let’s break it down in simple terms.

What Are Cognitive Distortions?

At their core, cognitive distortions are just unhealthy or unrealistic ways of thinking. These thought patterns can lead us to feel more anxious, depressed, or overwhelmed. They’re like mental shortcuts we take that don’t always match up with reality. And, the more we let these patterns shape our thinking, the more they affect our emotional and mental health.

I’ve seen it happen in many of my sessions. One of my clients, a 19-year-old student, came to me feeling like she was failing at everything. She’d get a B on a test and immediately think, “I’m terrible at this. I’ll never succeed.” This is a classic example of “catastrophizing”—one of the most common cognitive distortions. It’s when you blow things out of proportion, expecting the worst-case scenario.

Common Cognitive Distortions You Might Relate To

• All-or-Nothing Thinking: You see things in black and white. If something isn’t perfect, you think it’s a total failure.
  Example: “I didn’t get 100% on my presentation. I must be a bad student.”
• Overgeneralization: You take one negative experience and believe it defines your entire life or situation.
  Example: “I didn’t make the basketball team. I’m always going to fail.”
• Mind Reading: You assume you know what others are thinking, and often, it’s negative.
  Example: “I know they think I’m weird for not talking much at the party.”
• Personalization: You blame yourself for things outside of your control.
  Example: “My friends stopped hanging out with me, it must be because I said something wrong last week.”
• Filtering: You focus only on the negative details and ignore the positive ones.
  Example: “I got one bad comment on my post. I’m such a failure.” (Ignoring all the positive comments)

How Cognitive Distortions Affect Your Mental Health

I see these thought patterns all the time, and they can really take a toll on someone’s mental health. In one session, a young client mentioned feeling “stuck” in life, not sure about career plans, and constantly feeling down. Through our conversations, we uncovered that many of his feelings were tied to distorted thinking- believing that if he didn’t have everything figured out by a certain age, he was failing.

When we hold onto distorted thoughts, it affects how we view ourselves and the world. Anxiety, depression, stress, and even low self-esteem can arise from thinking this way. But the good news is that recognizing these distortions is the first step to changing them.

How to Challenge Cognitive Distortions

• Awareness: The first step is realizing when you’re engaging in distorted thinking. Pay attention to how you talk to yourself. Are you being overly negative? Are you jumping to conclusions without all the facts?
• Question Your Thoughts: Ask yourself if your thoughts are based on facts or assumptions. Would you say the same thing to a friend who’s feeling down? Often, we’re way harder on ourselves than we are on others.
• Look for Alternatives: Once you’ve identified the distortion, try to replace it with a more balanced thought. Instead of thinking, “I’ll never get this right,” try, “I might not get it perfect, but I’m learning and improving.”
• Challenge Your Beliefs: If you constantly think, “I’m not good enough,” dig deeper. What proof do you have for that belief? What evidence shows that you are enough?

Final Thoughts

Over the years, I’ve helped many clients learn to spot their cognitive distortions and replace them with healthier thinking patterns. It’s not always easy, but it’s a powerful tool in improving mental health. The more you practice recognizing these thinking errors, the easier it becomes to break free from them.

Remember, your thoughts don’t have to control your feelings. By learning how to challenge cognitive distortions, you can start to take back control of your mental health. And trust me, it’s worth the effort.