The Matrix of Cognitive Distortion

A cognitive distortion is?an exaggerated or irrational thought pattern that causes one to perceive a reality inaccurately (distortion = a misleading account or impression). There are many types of cognitive distortion, and each silently wreaks havoc by causing assumptions upon which decisions are made. Cognitive distortion causes anxiety, fear, pain, and depression. It’s like going into a funhouse mirror maze believing that what is reflected back is accurate, and then making decisions and navigating life on this belief.

Some cognitive distortions are situational thus a sudden involuntary reaction to a real-time event, while others are embedded into many, sometimes most, of one’s life and decisions. Situational cognitive distortions are where an individual forms a reactionary judgment based on a situation/life event. This is known as “jumping to a conclusion” because their determination is made hastily on very limited information. Embedded cognitive distortions are less immediate but equally as dangerous in that the judgment is based on flawed or distorted thought patterns, which snowball in their potentially disastrous effects over time.

There are many categories of cognitive distortion and by understanding how these silent terrorists operate, we can watch for, identify, and eliminate them so that logic, transparency, and informed decision-making prevail throughout one's life and business.

Here are a small sampling of some of the more common cognitive distortions:

Mind Reading – This is where one assumes that they know what someone else is thinking. Humans make all sorts of judgments about others’ beliefs. Usually, these conclusions are not based on what the other individual says they believe, but rather the assumptions are based on body language, facial cues, extrinsic circumstances, and more. One may think they know what someone else is thinking, but they do not actually know, and thus cognitive distortions are created.

Labeling – One instance does not make a pattern. Furthermore, a pattern is not conclusive evidence of the ultimate reality. Labeling is a cognitive distortion where an individual believes that one instance is evidence of every similar instance. For example, some believe that people who are in the business of sales are untrustworthy. Such a broad generalization is, of course, a fallacy. It’s a label that one places on another based on, at times, a single experience, conjecture, complete illusion, or worse yet, unsubstantiated presumption. The primordial brain has served life and humanity very well over millions of years by placing great importance on single cues. While that skill served our hunting and gathering ancestors well, creating labels based on singular circumstances, events, or even illusions may cause one to unnecessarily label something as a threat, to their own detriment, in today’s culture and society.

Mental Filtering – This is one of the most frightening and scary ones, for it could easily lead one to become trapped in a feedback loop resulting in false determination, false reactions, and a false reality, how tragic, how sad. In this type of cognitive distortion, one only pays attention to evidence that supports their current beliefs, thereby discarding all other types of evidence. ?This is one of the most dangerous thought distortions because if one cannot hear, see, notice, or simply be open to something that is out of alignment with their own current beliefs, then truth may evade them for eternity.

Catastrophizing – “If I do not complete this, my life is ruined or will never be the same!” Catastrophizing is a cognitive distortion where one believes that the worst will happen. Not only does the exaggerated viewpoint hinder one’s ability to see and perceive clearly, but catastrophizers are also no fun to be around as they typically predict the worst will always happen. By the way, the sister to this cognitive distortion is Minimizing (this is not to be confused with pessimism versus optimism). Minimizing is where one is said to be wearing rose-colored glasses because all problems are reduced to naught. Where the Catastrophizer predicts the worst, the Minimizer predicts that everything will always turn out fine. Both tend to convince those around them of their distorted perceptions. Reality is usually somewhere in the middle.

It's Not My Fault – The world is against the perpetual victim, at least that’s how they see it. A victim mentality is where one constantly believes that they have been bamboozled, tricked, deceived, and taken advantage of when nothing of the sort happened. This cognitive distortion is dangerous in that it robs one of control from all situations. They hand over control of their life and actions, and thus results, to others. Instead of controlling their destiny, they complain about it. Taking responsibility for one’s own actions is freeing and empowering. Becoming aware of and tamping down on this cognitive anomaly is akin to taking back the driver’s seat in one's own life.

Emotional Reasoning – This distortive thinking is where one creates a belief/perception based on their emotions. They feel scared, so they assume they are in danger. They feel stupid, so they assume they are stupid. They feel overweight, so they stop eating. Internalizing one’s emotions can be dangerous because emotion is an instinctive state, not an organized and logical thought pattern. The feeling of fear does not mean one is in danger. The feeling of not knowing something does not equate to someone being stupid. Feeling is instinctual, which is distinct from reason and knowledge. Thus feeling something emotionally should not lead to a logical conclusion about oneself or others.

Personalization – This distortion is one where one takes most things personally. An email is not responded to immediately so the individual assumes the receiver is angry when in reality the email was not even seen or read. Here, one has a direct and personal reaction to everything that others do (or don’t do) or say (or don’t say), even if it is unrelated to them. ??