Ever found yourself catastrophising over a mildly embarrassing moment? Like that time you tripped on the pavement, convinced the entire population of Earth saw it, and subsequently considered relocating to a remote island? Congratulations! You might be experiencing cognitive distortions. But fear not, because today we’re diving deep into how to overcome cognitive distortions and reclaim your sanity, one rational thought at a time.
What Are Cognitive Distortions and Why Do They Mess With Your Head?
Cognitive distortions are those sneaky, uninvited mental gremlins that twist reality into an unrecognisable mess. They make you believe things that aren’t true, amplify your insecurities, and convince you that your boss’s slightly terse email is definitely a precursor to being fired.
These distorted thinking patterns are like funhouse mirrors in a dodgy carnival—except not fun. Instead of giving you wobbly legs and a comically oversized head, they warp your perception of yourself, others, and the world. The result? Anxiety, stress, and an internal dialogue that sounds suspiciously like a moody teenager who just discovered existential dread.
The Most Common Cognitive Distortions
Before we get into how to overcome cognitive distortions, let’s first meet the culprits responsible for your mental gymnastics.
1. All-or-Nothing Thinking
Also known as black-and-white thinking, this distortion makes you see everything in extremes. If your home-baked sourdough doesn’t look like it belongs in a Michelin-starred restaurant, you’re clearly a failure who should never touch yeast again.
How to overcome it: Recognise that life is a spectrum, not a binary. Instead of thinking, “I’m either a success or a failure,” try, “I did okay, and next time, I’ll do better.”
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2. Catastrophising
Ah, the classic overreaction. You spill coffee on your shirt before a meeting and immediately assume your entire career is ruined, you’ll never recover, and you’ll probably end up living in a cardboard box under a bridge.
How to overcome it: Ask yourself, “Is this really the end of the world?” Spoiler: It’s not. Think about what you’d tell a friend in the same situation—chances are, you’d be a lot kinder.
3. Mental Filtering
You receive ten compliments and one piece of constructive criticism. Which one do you fixate on? Exactly. This is mental filtering—magnifying the negatives while conveniently ignoring the positives.
How to overcome it: Train yourself to see the full picture. If you catch yourself dwelling on the bad, balance it out by actively acknowledging the good.
4. Overgeneralisation
One bad date? You’re obviously destined to be alone forever. Made a typo in an email? You’re completely incompetent and should probably change careers. This is overgeneralisation, and it’s as irrational as it sounds.
How to overcome it: Remember that one event doesn’t dictate your entire life. Treat each experience as unique and separate from the last.
5. Mind Reading
Ever been convinced someone secretly hates you, even though they haven’t said a word to suggest it? Welcome to mind reading, where we assume we know what others are thinking without any actual evidence.
How to overcome it: If you’re not a trained psychic, don’t pretend to be one. When in doubt, just ask the person what they actually think rather than filling in the blanks with your worst fears.
Strategies to Overcome Cognitive Distortions
Now that we’ve identified the main villains, let’s talk about how to overcome cognitive distortions and bring some much-needed logic back into our lives.
Rewiring Your Thoughts to Overcome Cognitive Distortions
1. Catch the Thought, Challenge the Thought
Next time you catch yourself spiralling into a cognitive distortion, pause and interrogate it like an overzealous detective.
- What’s the evidence? Is this thought actually based on facts, or is my imagination running wild?
- Would I say this to a friend? If not, why am I saying it to myself?
- What’s a more balanced perspective? Instead of “I’m terrible at public speaking,” try “I need more practice, but I’ve improved a lot.”
2. Name Your Inner Critic
If your negative thoughts had a personality, what would it be? Give it a name—perhaps “Judgmental Jerry” or “Doomsday Debbie”—and separate it from yourself. When those intrusive thoughts pop up, you can say, “Oh, it’s just Judgmental Jerry talking nonsense again.”
3. Practise Mindfulness
Mindfulness is the mental equivalent of putting a filter on your thoughts before posting them. It helps you observe your thoughts without immediately accepting them as gospel truth. Meditation, deep breathing, or simply taking a moment to ground yourself can help disrupt the distortion cycle.
4. Keep a Thought Journal
Write down your irrational thoughts, then counter them with rational responses. Over time, you’ll start recognising patterns and gain better control over your thinking.
5. Engage in Reality Checks
If you’re convinced the worst is going to happen, put it to the test. If you believe nobody likes you, ask yourself, “Have I received any evidence that supports this?” If not, then it’s probably just your mind playing tricks on you.
6. Reframe Negative Thoughts into Growth Opportunities
Instead of viewing mistakes as catastrophic failures, see them as opportunities for growth. Instead of thinking, “I’m a disaster at networking,” try “I struggled today, but with practice, I’ll improve.” Reframing shifts your mindset from defeat to progress.
7. Surround Yourself with Positive Reinforcement
Your environment shapes your thoughts. Spend time with people who uplift and encourage you rather than those who reinforce your cognitive distortions. Whether it’s an inspiring podcast, a supportive friend, or a motivational book, positive input helps rewire negative thought patterns.
8. Practise Self-Compassion
Speak to yourself with the same kindness you would extend to a loved one. Cognitive distortions thrive on self-criticism, so actively replacing harsh judgments with self-compassion can reduce their influence. Try saying, “I’m doing my best, and that’s enough.”
Overcome Cognitive Distortions and Take Control of Your Mindset
At the end of the day, cognitive distortions aren’t something we can entirely eliminate, but we can certainly learn to manage them. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s progress. The more you challenge and reframe your thoughts, the less power they have over you.
So next time you find yourself spiralling into an all-or-nothing thought pattern or assuming that one minor mishap will result in lifelong consequences, take a deep breath and remind yourself: you’re human, your brain is dramatic, and most of the time, things are far less catastrophic than they seem.
By consistently applying these techniques, you’ll not only overcome cognitive distortions, but you’ll also develop a healthier, more balanced mindset—on
