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| Cognitive therapy and its variants traditionally identify ten
cognitive distortions that maintain negative thinking and help
to maintain negative emotions.  Eliminating these distortions
and negative thought is said to improve mood and discourage
maladies such as depression and chronic anxiety. The process of
learning to refute these distortions is called "cognitive
restructuring". Related links are suggested in parentheses. -
All-or-nothing thinking - Thinking of things in absolute terms,
like "always", "every" or "never". Few aspects of human behavior
are so absolute. (See false dilemma.) - Overgeneralization -
Taking isolated cases and using them to make wide
generalizations. (See hasty generalization.) - Mental filter -
Focusing exclusively on certain, usually negative or upsetting,
aspects of something while ignoring the rest, like a tiny
imperfection in a piece of clothing. (See