Cognitive Errors that Support Depression
|
Cognitive Error |
Underlying Assumption |
Example/syllogism |
| Overgeneralization | If it's true once, it's always true. If it's true in these circumstances, it's true in all similar circumstances. | Jill hates me. Jill is a girl. All girls hate me.
I had a flat on the way to the theater. All the tires must be going bad. I can't do anything right. |
| Selective abstraction/ Disqualifying the positive | Bad events count more than good events. | Everyone said they liked my speech but there was someone in the fifth row who looked bored. It must have been a boring speech. The others are just covering up to make me feel better.
I had a flat on the way to the theater, and we missed the opening credits. It ruined the whole evening. |
| Excessive responsibility | When things go wrong, it's my fault. When things go right, I got lucky. | I had a flat on the way to the theater, and we were late. I should have checked the tires more often. |
| Assuming temporal causality | If it's been true in the past, it's always going to be true.
Post hoc ergo propter hoc. | I had a flat on the way to the theater, and we were late. My date acted like it didn't matter, but she was cold to me later. It's all my fault.
I woke up this morning feeling depressed. I'm always going to feel depressed. |
| Excessive self-reference | Everyone is watching me all the time, especially when I slip up. When things go wrong, it's because of something I did wrong. | No one is going to listen to what I say because I'll be so anxious they'll only pay attention to my nervousness.
I had a flat on the way to the theater. Did I act flustered? Did I get too angry? Did I fix it fast enough? She must think I'm a fool. |
| Catastrophizing | Things have to be perfect all the time. The minute any little thing goes wrong, everything will start to fall apart. | I had a flat on the way to the theater. I must need new tires. They'll all go bad and I can't drive to work.
I'll have to quit my job. I'll never find another job. I'll starve. |
| Dichotomous thinking | Everything is always good or bad, black or white, with no shades of gray. | I got a B on my paper. The teacher must hate me.
I had a flat on the way to the theater. What a lousy car! I should never have bought it. |
| Emotional reasoning | Whatever I feel is true. | I had a flat on the way to the theater. It put me in a lousy mood. My date said she had a good time, but she was only trying to make me feel better. |
| Should statements (perfectionism) | Things always have to be a certain way, and if they're not, that's awful. | I had a flat on the way to the theater. I should have known it would happen. I should take better care of the car. I should have a better job so I could have a better car. I should have gone to med school instead of being an English major. |
| Magnification/ minimization | Exaggerating the importance and impact of bad events, not paying attention to (not being aware) of good events | I had a flat on the way to the theater. After the movie my date said she really had a good time. Too bad about the flat, it ruined the whole evening. |