Cognitive Distortions: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Techniques 18/30

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Cognitive distortions are thoughts that aren't actually true but feel true. Your thoughts twist reality, and you start to feel like you’re bad, broken, or deficient. Or you begin to see the world as dangerous, threatening, or cruel.
But here’s the thing with cognitive distortions: you don’t realize you’re doing it. You think the way you see things is reality. It feels true. When you think or talk through the lens of a cognitive distortion, you sound rational and accurate to yourself. So is there anything you can do about this? Cognitive Behavioral Therapy can help you change how you feel by changing how you think.
The first step is to learn what cognitive distortions are and notice when you’re using them.

Therapy in a Nutshell, LLC, and the information provided by Emma McAdam are solely intended for informational and entertainment purposes and are not a substitute for advice, diagnosis, or treatment regarding medical or mental health conditions. Although Emma McAdam is a licensed marriage and family therapist, the views expressed on this site or any related content should not be taken for medical or psychiatric advice. Always consult your physician before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health.

In therapy I use a combination of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Systems Theory, positive psychology, and a bio-psycho-social approach to treating mental illness and other challenges we all face in life. The ideas from my videos are frequently adapted from multiple sources. Many of them come from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, especially the work of Steven Hayes, Jason Luoma, and Russ Harris. The sections on stress and the mind-body connection derive from the work of Stephen Porges (the Polyvagal theory), Peter Levine (Somatic Experiencing) Francine Shapiro (EMDR), and Bessel Van Der Kolk. I also rely heavily on the work of the Arbinger institute for my overall understanding of our ability to choose our life's direction.

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[miraivas]

Cognitive distortions (reality twisting):
1. "All or nothing" thinking
2. Overgeneralizing
3. "Black and white" thinking
4. Mind reading
5. Catastrophizing
6. Emotional reasoning
7. Labeling
8. Mental filtering (minimise the good and maximise the bad)
9. Personalization
10. Unreal-ideal

[dflosounds]

My weekly therapy sessions are like islands in a tumultuous sea of anxiety. Your videos are the little rafts that allow me to reach each island without drowning. Thank you.

[sacdaabdurhman]

“We need to accept that we won’t always make the right decisions, that we’ll screw up royally sometimes – understanding that failure is not the opposite of success, it’s part of success.”some of us we see failing as failure. Have a delightful day sharing some positivity to your side

[everlastingmind]

Hey, friend. Take this time to relax. Don’t overthink. Even if there is a problem, there is always a solution. Breathe, take care 💕

[jennpearson]

I am 45 years old and wishing I had learned all these skills 20 some years ago. It would have saved me from so much unnecessary pain. This is why, as my children are now 22 and 20, I really try emphasize real skills when battling anxieties and depression. Especially over the past year.

There is so much joy when you realize you are not a prisoner to your brain.

Be kind to yourself. 🙏

Thank you for these videos! I have even sent them to my kids, parents and friends!

[susanaisabel]

Guys, always talk to yourself the same way you would talk to your best friend! Would you say: oh you are so stupid, or would you say You re a failure! NO of course not, so then let me remind you... YOU are YOUR best friend!

[HelenA-fdvl]

Thank you Emma. Really, really great insights. I am almost 70. I wish I had known all that when I was 25.

[TheRealMisterChopShop]

I would like to say thank you Emma McAdams for curing me of anxiety I followed all the instructions that were given I have not had anxiety in over a month nothing whatsoever but I keep up with Her videos just in case have a blessed day everybody follow the instructions to freedom no more anxiety

[kritibhardwaj]

I feel like I do all of them and sometimes multiple distortions frame my thinking. It leads to a lot of anxiety and depression and seeing these videos I’m realizing I’ve had this for much longer than I realized! Thank you so much ♥️

[mimim]

"Don't believe everything you think." This was the most powerful thing from this video for me, and the little nugget of wisdom I'm most likely to keep in my head. Right next to similar phrases that I fully accept as wise advice, like, don't believe everything you hear, or see, or read....Adding this to the list. Don't believe everything you think. Great stuff.

[biondna]

This is a critical checklist of destructive thinking habits that can make us miserable and accomplish nothing good. Done them all. I've studied these in the context of childhood PTSD and the coping mechanisms we develop due to that. I now catch myself doing these, forgive myself while I remind myself I don't deserve to feed myself this poison. Thank you!

[becca]

The unreal-ideal gets me the most. It’s hard being 28 and seeing tons of people you graduated with all married with kids. I’m as single as I was in high school and I always beat myself up for it and think I’m a failure or undesirable. At least now I understand it’s my mind telling me this, not reality.

[Bingbongq]

I was always wondering why I was depressed and quiet I have done at least all of these and stuck in the void of negative thoughts this makes a lot of sense and has helped glad I found this

[Mikeyboibange]

Omg, I just wanted to say Thank you!!! I have been going thru now from watching your videos what I’ve learned is Panic Attacks induced from my anxiety attacks, I just found your channel last night and I went to the ER a few hours earlier from what I thought was a heart attack and it wasn’t. I was literally my anxiety attack turned into panic attack and I watched this video one time and i had several panic attacks watching this but by the end and just up to now at 8a I haven’t had any panic attacks at all. Just slight anxiety attack but the point it that you are really helping ppl and I just wanted to say from the bottom of my heart THANK YOU because I didn’t see any light at the end of my tunnel but now I do. I’m sharing all of your videos with everyone I know and love. Thank you again and again because I finally feel like myself just from watching this one video and now I will continue to watch as many of your videos as I can because I know this will help me and I’m also seeking a Cognitive Behavioral Therapist as of today. Thank you again and to anyone going thru anxiety, trauma or panic attacks hang in there, there is hope and you will make it thru this. So many times I thought I was going to die and only to end up in the ER and they say all of your tests are normal and we see nothing wrong with you. It’s all a mind game and you can control it. Trust the process and be kind to yourself. WATCH THESE VIDEOS YOU WILL MAKE IT! 💫✊🏾🎉✊🏾 Love, Light and peace to all! (I hope some of this made sense 😂)

[amdtrsouth]

Thank you Emma. I am a dedicated student of this course. I wish I had known all these things when I was 19-20. These Videos changed my life. I can't Thank you enough.

[HopefulTribe]

Great stuff! Cognitive distortions can be changed, once they're exposed!

[linalocricchio]

Wow what a distorted life I made up for myself. Thank u for enlightenment girl. You’re a blessing in my life. Getting educated here and changed. We can do it guys

[SpiritualStuntman]

Holy shit, when I have lost and totally confused and my inner child is driving the bus all of these things seem to happen. Thank you for making this video and reminding me that I don't have to believe that little dude. Love your work, thank you

[latinspen]

I'm crying right now because some of these things pertain to me. I'm thankful that I'm finally trying to get my mental health taken care of. Thanks for this video💕💕💕

[aleciaupson]

All these years I been emotionally running on auto pilot. Words can’t express the way these have changed my life. Thank you is a understatement ❤️❤️❤️❤️