Although some automatic thoughts are true, many are either untrue or have just a grain of truth. Typical mistakes in thinking include:
All-or-nothing thinking, (also called black-and-white, polarized, or dichotomous thinking): You view a situation in only two categories instead of on a continuum.
Example:
If I'm not a total success, I'm a failure
Catastrophizing (also called fortune telling): You predict the future negatively without considering other, more lIkely outcomes.
Example:
I'll be so upset, I won't be able to function at all."
Disqualifying or discounting the Positive; You unreasonably tell yourself that positive experiences, deeds, or qualities do not count.
Example:
I did that project well, but that doesn't mean I'm competent; I just got lucky.
Emotional reasoning, You think something must be true because you "feel" (actually believe) it so strongly. Ignoring or discounting evidence to the contrary.
Example:
I know I do a lot of things okay at work, but I still feel like I'm a failure.
Labeling. You put a fired, global label on yourself or others without considering that the evidence might more reasonably lead to a less disastrous conclusion.
Example:
I'm a loser. He's no good.
Magnification/minimization, When you evaluate yourself, another person, or a situation, you unreasonably magnify the negative and/or minimize the positive:
Example:
Getting a mediocre evaluation proves how inadequate I am. Getting high marks doesn't mean I'm smart.
Mental filter (also called selective abstraction): You pay undue attention to one negative detail instead of seeing the whole picture.
Example:
Because I got one low rating on my evaluation (which also contained several high ratings} it means I'm doing a lousy job.
Mind reading, You believe you know what others are thinking, failing to consider other, more likely possibilities.
Example:
He's thinking that I don't know the first thing about this project
Overgeneralization - You make a sweeping negative conclusion that goes far beyond the current situation.
Example:
Because I felt uncomfortable at the meeting I don't have what it takes to make friends.
Personalization: You believe others are behaving negatively because of you, Without considering more plausible explanations for the behavior.
Example:
The repairman was curt to me because I did something wrong.
Should and must statements (also called imperatives) - You have a precise, fixed idea of how you or others should behave and you overestimate how bad it is that these expectations are not met.
Example:
It's terrible that I made a mistake. I should always do my bast.
You only see the negative aspects of a situation.
Example:
My son's teacher can't do anything right. He's critical and insensitive and lousy at teaching.