When bad shit happens we tend to react negatively but these reactions do not help us ro tackle the problem.
_Cognitive distortions are thoughts that cognitive therapists believe cause individuals to perceive reality inaccurately. _
Because the way a person feels intervenes with how they think, these distorted thoughts can feed negative emotions and lead an individual affected by cognitive distortions towards an overall negative outlook on the world and consequently a depressive or anxious mental state.
The most common 10 distortions as follows;
SHOULD STATEMENTS
That should not have happened. Why the hell did that happen? He/she should not have done that. This should not be happening to me.
ALL OR NOTHING
This is the way it is; it’s either this or it’s that and if it’s that then it’s not this. There is black and then there’s white, there is no grey area.
TIME
He never. He always. They never. They always.
CATASTROPHIZING
I’ve lost everything. I’m fucked. oh shit if this happens then that’ll get worse and that will and then this and that
BLAME
Arrrr! This is all your/mine/her/his/their fault!!
FORGETTING OTHERS’ GOOD POINTS
self explanatory
EMOTIONAL REASONING
absence of rational analysis
OBJECTIFICATION
Reducing a human being to a derogatory word; that “cunt” “fuckin prick” “low life” “scallywag” “asshole”
NEGATIVE TUNNEL VISION
self explanatory
JUMPING TO CONCLUSIONS
self explanatory.
All of these distortions of reality, of what is, are bypassed, the more we learn to centre ourselves through meditation.