What Is Cognitive Distortion? How Your Thoughts Shape Your Reality

Your Thoughts Are Powerful—But Not Always Accurate

We all have an internal narrative—a stream of thoughts that helps us interpret the world around us. But what happens when those thoughts become distorted? When your mind turns against you with negativity, fear, or self-blame?

That’s where cognitive distortions come in.

Cognitive distortions are irrational or exaggerated thought patterns that fuel anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and emotional distress. They often feel automatic and believable, but they don’t reflect the objective truth.

Understanding and challenging these patterns is one of the most effective ways to improve emotional well-being—and it’s a core part of many therapy approaches, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).

What Are Cognitive Distortions?

Cognitive distortions are biased ways of thinking that reinforce negative beliefs. They often develop as coping mechanisms early in life and persist into adulthood unless we learn to notice and shift them.

Some common signs of distorted thinking include:

• Constant self-criticism
  
  
• Catastrophizing situations
  
  
• Assuming others are judging you
  
  
• Feeling stuck in black-and-white thinking
  
  
• Believing your emotions are facts
  
  

These thoughts don’t just affect your mood—they shape your behaviors, choices, relationships, and even your sense of identity.

10 Common Types of Cognitive Distortions

Here are some of the most frequent distorted thinking patterns people struggle with:

1. All-or-Nothing Thinking

Viewing situations in extremes: good or bad, success or failure, love or rejection.
Example: “If I don’t do it perfectly, I’ve failed.”

2. Catastrophizing

Expecting the worst possible outcome, even when it’s unlikely.
Example: “If I mess up this presentation, I’ll lose my job.”

3. Mental Filtering

Focusing only on the negatives and ignoring positives.
Example: “Everyone said my work was great, but one person gave feedback, so it must be terrible.”

4. Overgeneralization

Using one event to make sweeping assumptions about your life.
Example: “I was awkward at that party. I’m always awkward and no one likes me.”

5. Personalization

Blaming yourself for things outside your control or assuming everything is about you.
Example: “They’re quiet today. I must have done something wrong.”

6. Should Statements

Holding yourself or others to rigid, unrealistic rules.
Example: “I should never feel anxious. I should always be in control.”

7. Labeling

Assigning global labels to yourself or others.
Example: “I’m a loser” or “He’s selfish.”

8. Emotional Reasoning

Assuming that if you feel something, it must be true.
Example: “I feel scared, so I must be in danger.”

9. Mind Reading

Believing you know what others are thinking—and it’s always negative.
Example: “They didn’t text back. They must be mad at me.”

10. Discounting the Positive

Minimizing your accomplishments or positive experiences.
Example: “That compliment doesn’t count—they were just being nice.”

Why These Patterns Are So Hard to Break

Cognitive distortions often run on autopilot. They may stem from past trauma, childhood experiences, or long-standing belief systems. Over time, they feel familiar—even comforting—even when they’re painful.

In therapy, clients often say, “But that thought feels true.”

And it does. But feeling true doesn’t mean it is true.

This is where structured, compassionate work can begin.

How Therapy Can Help You Challenge Distorted Thinking

At Jessica Wolfe, LCSW, therapy is a collaborative space where you learn to:

• Identify your most frequent cognitive distortions
  
  
• Explore where they come from and what they’re protecting
  
  
• Separate thoughts from facts
  
  
• Replace distorted thoughts with more balanced, helpful beliefs
  
  
• Build emotional resilience and mental flexibility
  
  

Jessica uses tools from CBT, ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy), and mindfulness practices to support clients in rewiring these unhelpful mental habits.

The goal isn’t to never have distorted thoughts again—it’s to recognize them, challenge them, and shift your relationship to them.

Rewriting the Inner Narrative

When you stop believing every automatic thought, something powerful happens:

• You feel less emotionally hijacked by fear or shame
  
  
• Your self-talk becomes more compassionate
  
  
• You stop taking responsibility for things outside your control
  
  
• You respond more calmly in relationships
  
  
• You develop a more realistic, grounded view of yourself and the world
  
  

Changing your thinking patterns is not easy—but it is possible, and it’s worth it.

Begin the Work with Jessica Wolfe, LCSW

If distorted thinking patterns are contributing to anxiety, depression, low self-worth, or relationship difficulties, therapy can help. You don’t have to untangle this alone.

Jessica Wolfe, LCSW provides supportive, structured therapy to help you gain clarity, challenge unhelpful beliefs, and feel more emotionally free.

Contact Jessica Today
Phone: (414) 433‑3877
Email: info@jessicawolfelcsw.com
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Serving Shorewood, WI and online clients across WI, CA, and CO