Habits of Harmful Thinking Flashcards
Believing negative things will happen more often than positive ones.
Ex. - Why bother going to therapy, it probably won’t help.
- Why bother following up on a job application, they won’t hire me.
Pessimism
Exaggerating problems and the possible harm they can cause. Underestimating your ability to deal with problems. (mountain of a molehill)
Ex.
- I will never be able to complete this task.
- Because that person is blocking the crosswalk, I am going to get seriously injured.
Exaggerating
Taking one negative characteristic or event and seeing it as a never-ending pattern.
Ex.
- One person doesn’t like me, no one must like me.
- If I can’t get this job, everything’s lost & I might as well give up.
- I can’t trust anyone ever again.
Overgeneralization
Can only be at one end of the scale - all good/bad, perfect/failure, best/worst, etc.
Ex. - I am not capable of loving.
I can’t express my feelings.
All-or-Nothing Thinking
(aka Black & White)
Telling yourself you should/ ought/ must do something. Makes you feel forced, controlled, & resentful.
Ex.
- I should be the best.
- I should have a degree by now.
- I should have a lot of money by now.
- I must move North by the end of July.
“Should”-ing Yourself
Thinking you can see the future and it is bad.
Ex.
- I’ll never be happy.
- I’ll never have enough money.
- I’ll never move to San Francisco.
Negative Fortune Telling
Thinking you know what others are thinking, and that they are having negative thoughts about you.
Ex.
- My housemate seems very upset today, I must have done something wrong.
- I can’t tell others how I feel because they will think I am crazy.
- Other people think I am boring.
Mind Reading
Attaching a negative label instead of seeing an error or problem. Labels can become self-fulfilling prophecies.
Ex.
- I can’t believe I don’t know the answer, I must be stupid.
- I miscounted change, I’m an idiot.
Labeling (yourself or others)
Thinking negative things happen, and they are always entirely your fault.
Ex.
- Things would have gone well if I hadn’t been there.
- If we lose it will be all my fault.
Blaming Oneself
Only remembering negative events. (Cup half empty)
Ex.
- Nothing good happened to me this week.
- I got the short end of the stick in life.
Negative Filter (Ignoring the Positive)
Thinking positive things are just luck or someone else’s doing, never from your own efforts.
Ex.
- Yes I’m going to therapy, but it’s no big deal.
- Yes I got housemates & an apartment last fall, but that was just luck.
Not Giving Oneself Credit