cognitive distortions Archives

All-or-Nothing Thinking: Examples and How It Causes Depression and Anxiety

December 5, 2022 by Justin Arocho, Ph.D.

Do people often tell you that you see things in black and white, and miss all the shades of gray? This problem is called “all-or-nothing thinking” and can lead to real problems. Learn about the phenomenon and its consequences.

all or nothing thinking black and white thinking right or wrong

All-or-nothing thinking is one of several common unhelpful ways of thinking known as cognitive distortions. All-or-nothing thinking casts things in extremes – it seems there are only two ways things can be. This kind of thinking makes it easy to believe there is no flexibility or ambiguity in a situation. It leads you to feel trapped by what seems like a small number of possibilities.

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Catastrophizing: What It Is and How to Best Handle It

August 8, 2022 by Justin Arocho, Ph.D.

Do you tend to focus on the worst-case scenario or spend time thinking about how terribly things will go? Catastrophizing is a common component of anxiety and depression. Learn how to address it.

What Is Catastrophizing?

Imagine this situation: you’re running late to catch a train to visit some friends, and despite rushing to catch it, you miss it by a few minutes. The next train isn’t for another 90 minutes, which means you’ll be late and miss part of your visit.

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How Does the “Mental Filter” Make You Sad and Anxious?

November 8, 2021 by Justin Arocho, Ph.D.

What Is the “Mental Filter?”

Depression occurs for many reasons. A common one is unhelpful thinking patterns — traps that our thoughts can fall into and get stuck in. These are also called cognitive distortions, and the “mental filter” is a common example. The mental filter is like having a screen over your mind that obscures the positive aspects of a situation while letting the negative aspects through.

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