Cognitive Distortion

Cognitive Distortion:

Cognitive Distortion:
Cognitive Distortion:

In academic study, we used to notice a successful student achieve excellent marks in mostly all courses. On the other hand, others are used to failing in mostly all courses; generally speaking, many people occasionally “think” that they fail in all life courses!!

The human mind is used to generalize the emotion of a single issue to several other aspects. As a result, people see negative things as worse than they used to be.

For instance, you may have an issue with one lecture, you got a mark less than expected, had a bad experience with a lecturer, didn’t understand a single topic, or any experience that carries a negative impression.

“I have no luck with friends; everyone gets me down.”

“I have no luck with friends; everyone gets me down.”
“I have no luck with friends; everyone gets me down.”
“I have no luck with friends; everyone gets me down.”

Viewing things more negative than they really are is called Cognitive Distortion. It happens when you copy a negative impression you got in one lecture, for instance, to the next one, then to the entire department, and then it might take you to the entire university, or even that takes you to generalize it to your entire life!

Viewing things more negative than they really are is called
Cognitive Distortion
Cognitive Distortion
. It happens when you copy a negative impression you got in one lecture, for instance, to the next one, then to the entire department, and then it might take you to the entire university, or even that takes you to generalize it to your entire life!

“I failed today’s exam; I am not good at college; maybe I am not good at anything!”

“I failed today’s exam; I am not good at college; maybe I am not good at anything!”
“I failed today’s exam; I am not good at college; maybe I am not good at anything!”
“I failed today’s exam; I am not good at college; maybe I am not good at anything!”

Another example is breaking a diet one time, and then the person recognizes that it doesn’t work at all and starts eating more than they were before the diet because of the cognitive distortion that duplicates one time issue to entire life.

The problem is that your brain doesn’t tell you that you are using cognitive distortion. It only supports your feeling by opening every negative experience folder in your mind. It may also distort happy moments and shows them as bad ones. Actually, it is your job to realize your thought flow. However, there are some signs you can recognize by yourself when you have cognitive distortion, such as seeing the things worse than they appear, believing certain problems will be copied to your entire life, using unrealistic generalization words such as always, never, all followed by negative thought.

The problem is that your brain doesn’t tell you that you are using cognitive distortion. It only supports your feeling by opening every negative experience folder in your mind. It may also distort happy moments and shows them as bad ones. Actually,
it is your job
it is your job
to realize your thought flow. However, there are some signs you can recognize by yourself when you have cognitive distortion, such as seeing the things worse than they appear, believing certain problems will be copied to your entire life, using unrealistic generalization words such as always, never, all followed by negative thought.

Simply, two steps are required to overcome cognitive distortion:

1-Be aware of the issue.

2- Stop it!

1-Be aware of the issue:

In case you find yourself overestimating your problems, you need to remember that it’s not the events but your thoughts that upset you in many instances. That is, the way we see the problems change our impression of our lives.

2- Stop it:

Cut the negative thought as fast as possible. By training, you would identify the cognitive distortion earlier. Eventually, you will own your thoughts.

In addition to the previous points, know that this is you who only can control your thoughts, look at the issue from the outside, see it from another perspective, and consider that this negative thought was attacking one of your best friends or your little brother or sister, what will you tell them? How are you going to show them the problem, and how you will simplify it? As you may be a good friend to them, an optimistic and supportive one, be that friend to yourself, your self deserves to get positive words from you, and yet, to stop cognitive distortion.

Dr Taha Basheer

References:

References:
:

https://psychcentral.com/lib/cognitive-distortions-negative-thinking#5-tips-to-stop-cognitive-distortions

https://verywellmind.com/overgeneralization-3024614

Ibrahim El-Feki; The Power of Thinkingو Dar El Yakeen For Publishing & Distribution2008.

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