Your brain is a survival machine, not a truth machine. Often, it takes shortcuts—cognitive distortions—that paint a reality far darker than it actually is. We see these patterns as the primary fuel for anxiety and depression. Understanding them is the first step toward “reprogramming” your mental software.
The 15 Distortions You Need to Master
Filtering: Seeing only the bad; ignoring the good.
Polarized Thinking: Living in extremes (success or failure).
Overgeneralization: Using one event to predict a lifetime of failure.
Mind Reading: Assuming you know what others think without evidence.
Catastrophizing: Expecting the worst-case scenario.
Personalization: Thinking everything is about you.
Illusion of Control: Either feeling helpless or responsible for everyone.
Fairness Fallacy: Thinking life must be “fair” by your rules.
Emotional Reasoning: “I feel it, therefore it must be true.”
Change Fallacy: Trying to force others to change.
Labeling: Assigning rigid labels to people based on one act.
Blaming: Focusing on fault instead of solutions.
“Should” Statements: Rigid rules that kill peace.
Always Being Right: Refusing to see other perspectives.
Reward Fallacy: Expecting that suffering today guarantees a reward tomorrow.
Breaking the Cycle: How to Reclaim Logic
Don’t let these distortions run your life. Practice the “Pause and Question”:
What is the evidence for this thought?
Am I filtering out the positive?
Is this a “should” statement?
Don’t believe everything you think. If your mind is trapping you, it’s time to rewrite the script. Contact Healing Touch today.