Identifying and Challenging Unhelpful Thinking: A Guide to Cognitive Distortions

Lilly Perrott
Sep 4
3 min read

Our thoughts shape how we feel and how we behave. Sometimes, however, our minds can lead us astray. Cognitive distortions - habitual errors in thinking - can create unnecessary distress, lower our confidence, and influence us to act in ways that are unhelpful or even harmful.

Becoming aware of these thinking patterns, and learning to challenge them, is a cornerstone of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). By noticing when our minds are engaging in distorted thinking, we can step back, test the accuracy of our thoughts, and develop more balanced perspectives.

Below are 15 common cognitive distortions, with everyday examples and tips on how to respond to them.

1. All-or-Nothing Thinking

What it looks like: Seeing things in black-and-white categories. If something isn’t perfect, it feels like a total failure.
Example: “If I don’t get this job, I’ll never succeed in my career.”
Challenge: Remind yourself that reality is more nuanced. Partial successes and setbacks can still offer progress and learning.

2. Overgeneralisation

What it looks like: Drawing sweeping conclusions based on one event.
Example: “I got anxious in that meeting. I’ll never be good at public speaking.”
Challenge: Look at the bigger picture. One instance doesn’t define your entire ability.

3. Mental Filter

What it looks like: Focusing only on the negative details while ignoring positives.
Example: Receiving positive feedback from nine people but ruminating on the one critical comment.
Challenge: Consciously bring attention to the positives as well.

4. Disqualifying the Positive

What it looks like: Dismissing positive experiences as if they “don’t count.”
Example: “They only said I did a good job to be nice.”
Challenge: Accept compliments and acknowledge achievements as valid.

5. Jumping to Conclusions

There are two main forms:

Mind Reading: Assuming you know what others are thinking.
- Example: “They didn’t text back—they must be angry at me.”
Fortune Telling: Predicting things will turn out badly.
- Example: “I just know this presentation will be a disaster.”
Challenge: Ask yourself: What’s the evidence? Am I guessing, or do I know for certain?

6. Magnification (Catastrophising) and Minimisation

What it looks like: Blowing problems out of proportion or downplaying positives.
Example: “Making one mistake means I’ll lose my job.”
Challenge: Step back and evaluate realistically: How likely is this worst-case scenario?

7. Emotional Reasoning

What it looks like: Believing that feelings reflect facts.
Example: “I feel scared, so this must be dangerous.”
Challenge: Recognise that emotions signal how we feel—not necessarily what is true.

8. Should Statements

What it looks like: Holding rigid rules for yourself or others, often leading to guilt or frustration.
Example: “I should always be productive.”
Challenge: Replace “should” with more flexible language, such as “I would prefer” or “It would be helpful if…”

9. Labelling and Mislabelling

What it looks like: Attaching global, negative labels to yourself or others.
Example: “I failed that test. I’m such an idiot.”
Challenge: Separate behaviour from identity. Making mistakes does not define who you are.

10. Personalisation

What it looks like: Taking responsibility for events outside your control.
Example: “My child is struggling—it must be because I’m a bad parent.”
Challenge: Consider other contributing factors and what is realistically within your control.

11. Blaming

What it looks like: Placing responsibility for your distress entirely on others.
Example: “I’m unhappy because of my partner.”
Challenge: Notice where you do have influence over your feelings and actions.

12. Control Fallacies

What it looks like: Believing you have no control (external control fallacy) or that you must control everything (internal control fallacy).
Example: “There’s nothing I can do to improve my situation” vs. “If people aren’t happy, it’s my fault.”
Challenge: Distinguish between what is within your influence and what is not.

13. Fallacy of Fairness

What it looks like: Believing that life should always be fair.
Example: “It’s not fair that I work harder than others but get overlooked.”
Challenge: Recognise that fairness is subjective, and focusing too much on it often creates resentment.

14. Fallacy of Change

What it looks like: Expecting others to change if pressured enough.
Example: “If I just keep pointing it out, they’ll stop doing that.”
Challenge: Acknowledge that you can’t control others’ behaviour—you can only control your own responses.

15. Heaven’s Reward Fallacy

What it looks like: Believing that self-sacrifice will automatically be rewarded.
Example: “If I keep putting others first, eventually people will notice and appreciate me.”
Challenge: Remind yourself that effort doesn’t guarantee external reward, but it can align with your values.

Why Challenging Distortions Matters

Cognitive distortions are not about being “irrational” or “broken.” They’re human tendencies—shortcuts our minds take to make sense of the world. However, left unchecked, they can intensify anxiety, depression, anger, and stress.

The good news is that once you can identify these patterns, you gain the power to pause, question, and reframe. Even small shifts in thinking can make a significant difference to your emotional wellbeing. Read more about managing anger in our Mental Health Toolkit.