IRRATIONAL THOUGHTS

Irrational Thoughts

These thoughts are ideas or beliefs that can feel intensely real, become distorted exaggerated unsupported by evidence, many of these thoughts may focus on the need to be prepared for every possible situation.

Thoughts often arise automatically that aren’t based on logic and are based on faulty assumptions which can be shaped by past experiences, fears and learned patterns of thinking, part of how the human brain tries to protect us, or mind constantly scans for danger an uncertainty

Cognitive distortions can shape your beliefs, mood and how you view yourself, others and the world around you.

Catastrophising:

Jumping to the worst-case scenario, predicting a future event that hasn’t happened predicting the worst will happen without considering other possibilities.

Personalisation: A belief that you're responsible for the moods and behaviours of others without examining what else may be going on with that person.

Mind reading:

Assuming you know what others are thinking, nervousness is often magnified when we believe other are judging us, or when we feel that others may disapprove of us.

All or nothing:

Seeing situations in extremes.

Polarised thinking:

In terms of all good or all bad, there is no grey area for any imperfection everything is black or white which doesn’t truly reflect how complex situations are.

No ability to see two things true at once, use of words like always, never, everyone, no one, everything, nothing finding it difficult to balance the negative circumstances in your life with positive ones.

Emotional reasoning:

Believing something is true because it feels true.

To challenge these thoughts, ask yourself whether your thoughts are helpful or unhelpful?

What evidence supports this thought, could there be a more balanced explanation?

The goal isn’t to suppress these thoughts instead it’s to create distance from them, questioning any distorted thoughts can weaken their grip.

Developing awareness creates space between you and the belief, you are not your thoughts you are simply the observer of them.

If you struggle with irrational thoughts, anxiety or self-criticism therapy can help you identify and restructure those patterns instead of automatically believing them.