Cognitive Distortions to Reduce Anxiety
Take back control of your anxious thoughts by recognising these Cognitive Distortions.
You can download the Cognitive Distortions Worksheet here
Cognitive Distortions are internal mental filters or biases that we tell ourselves that are not necessarily true and are very often unhelpful. They can increase our anxieties and make us feel negativity towards ourselves.
It is said that we have approximately 60,000 thoughts per day. Our brains are continuously processing so much information and to help us cut down on the mental burden, our brain creates shortcuts. Sometimes this serves us well, ie when we instinctively stop at a red light, other times, these thoughts don’t serve us so well.
Being mindful of our self-talk, and how we speak to others, can help us understand ourselves and other people better, and being aware of our go to cognitive distortions is the first step. Question your thoughts and ask yourself what evidence have you got to support them. What evidence have you got that doesn’t support them?
Cognitive distortions amplify our anxieties and cause us to focus on situations that may never have happened, or are not likely to happen. Dwelling on these worries multiplies them, creating even more anxiety. It becomes a vicious cycle.
Print this Cognitive Distortion Worksheet and highlight the cognitive distortions you think may apply to you, then pick one cognitive distortion each week and reflect on how that cognitive distortion manifests in your life.
You can use the Thoughts Diary Worksheet to help you keep track.
Other Resources You May Be Interested In:
What Are The Different Types of Anxiety?
If anxiety is something you or your loved ones struggle with regularly, then please get in touch to discuss how I can help you overcome the underlying cause of anxiety.