What’s a cognitive distortion and why do so many people have
them? Cognitive distortions are simply ways that our mind
convinces us of something that isn’t really true. These
inaccurate thoughts are usually used to reinforce negative
thinking or emotions — telling ourselves things that sound
rational and accurate, but really only serve to keep us feeling
bad about ourselves. For instance, a person might tell
themselves, “I always fail when I try to do something new; I
therefore fail at everything I try.” This is an example of
“black or white” (or polarized) thinking. The person is only
seeing things in absolutes — that if they fail at one thing,
they must fail at all things. If they added, “I must be a
complete loser and failure” to their thinking, that would also
be an example of overgeneralization — taking a failure at one
specific task and generalizing it their very self and identity.
Cognitive distortions are at the core of what many cognitive-
behavioral and other kinds of therapists try and help a person