Common Thinking Patterns

Categories: depression, anxiety, self-esteem

Date: 19 June 2006 11:41:04

At my previous, and first, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy session, I was given some homework. So, of course, the next session being tomorrow I am doing it now. :)

One part was to go through a list of 22 common thinking patterns that can be unhelpful and mark the ones I feel apply to me. Most of them I could say I have thought at one time or another, so I've decided to focus on the ones that tend to be part of my day-to-day thinking. As well as listing the errors, some basic advice is given: and I imagine this will be fleshed out where necessary in future settings.

So what do I think are my unhelpful patterns?:

disqualifying the positive: I may have done 95% well, but the 5% wrong wrecks the whole thing for me
jumping to negative conclusions -- mind reading: I love second-guessing people and their thoughts and motives: I'm often, most times even, wrong, but I still do it
perfectionism -- similar to disqualifying the positive
double standards -- judging myself far more harshly than I would others in similar circumstances
emotional reasoning -- I am emotion-based: a bit too much at times -- especially in my spiritual life, which can be a danger. I think I may speak to my priest about this aspect also
being a cynic -- similar to mind reading: sometimes I wonder what is behind compliments rather than just accepting them

Tomorrow should be interesting.

I also have an appointment at the optomerist: time to get some new glasses, I think.