COUNSELOR TALK : DISTORSI KOGNITIF

Summary

In this session, the speaker discusses cognitive distortions, explaining how biased thinking can impact one's interpretation of situations. Drawing from cognitive therapy principles, various types of distortions are covered, such as overgeneralization, selective abstraction, personalization, and magnification. The speaker emphasizes how these distortions limit personal growth, leading to self-doubt and maladaptive behavior. Techniques to counter negative thinking patterns, including altering self-talk and adopting a more balanced perspective, are also shared. The talk highlights the importance of recognizing and addressing cognitive distortions for improved mental well-being and self-actualization.

Takeaways

• 😀 Cognitive distortion refers to biased thinking that misinterprets situations, leading to psychological issues.
• 😀 Cognitive distortion is based on cognitive therapy, especially the work of Aaron Beck, which suggests that psychological problems arise from maladaptive thinking.
• 😀 An example of cognitive distortion is when a student feels a task is difficult and believes the teacher is being unreasonable, leading to anxiety and avoidance behaviors.
• 😀 There are various types of cognitive distortions, including catastrophic thinking, selective abstraction, overgeneralization, magnification, and personalization.
• 😀 Catastrophic thinking involves expecting the worst possible outcome without evidence, while selective abstraction focuses on drawing conclusions based on limited information.
• 😀 Overgeneralization involves applying a single event to all situations, like assuming someone who borrowed a book in high school will always borrow from you.
• 😀 Magnification and minimization refer to exaggerating problems or downplaying important issues, which distorts reality and causes emotional distress.
• 😀 Personalization is the tendency to blame oneself for things outside of one’s control, like thinking a professor’s criticism is aimed personally at you.
• 😀 Labeling or mislabeling refers to assigning broad, often negative labels to oneself or others, which can lead to distorted thinking.
• 😀 Cognitive distortions, like dichotomous thinking, lead to black-and-white thinking, such as believing someone is either entirely good or entirely bad.
• 😀 Cognitive distortions can limit a person’s potential, creating self-defeating thoughts and preventing personal growth, especially in areas like public speaking or self-confidence.
• 😀 To combat cognitive distortions, one needs to reframe negative thoughts into more realistic and positive perspectives, such as changing 'I am stupid' to 'I am capable of improving'.

Q & A

What are cognitive distortions?

Cognitive distortions are biased or incorrect ways of thinking that lead individuals to misinterpret situations, often in a negative or self-defeating manner.

What is the main theory behind cognitive distortions?

Cognitive distortions are based on cognitive therapy, particularly the work of Aaron T. Beck. The theory suggests that psychological problems arise from maladaptive thinking patterns that distort the way people interpret situations.

Can you provide an example of catastrophizing in cognitive distortions?

Catastrophizing is when an individual expects the worst possible outcome, even without evidence. For example, thinking that if a public speaker makes a small mistake, they will be ridiculed or fail completely.

What is selective abstraction in cognitive distortions?

Selective abstraction occurs when a person focuses on a specific detail and ignores the larger context. For instance, if someone visits a friend's house three times and the friend isn't home, they might conclude that the friend doesn't like them, even though there could be other reasons.

How does overgeneralization affect thinking?

Overgeneralization happens when a person takes a single event or limited experience and applies it to all situations. For example, if someone had a bad experience with one friend, they might assume that all their friendships will be the same.

What is the impact of magnification and minimization in cognitive distortions?

Magnification involves blowing a situation out of proportion, making it seem worse than it is, while minimization involves downplaying or belittling a problem, making it seem less significant than it is.

What does personalization mean in the context of cognitive distortions?

Personalization occurs when someone takes responsibility for events outside their control or attributes others' actions to their own fault. For example, if a friend is upset and someone assumes it's because of something they did, even without evidence.

Can you explain labeling and mislabeling as cognitive distortions?

Labeling refers to assigning a negative label to oneself or others based on a single event. Mislabeling occurs when a person assigns an inaccurate label to someone or something. For example, calling oneself 'stupid' after a mistake, or calling someone 'lazy' based on a single observation.

What is dichotomous thinking and how does it affect people's perceptions?

Dichotomous thinking is when a person sees things in extremes, such as all good or all bad, with no middle ground. This can lead to an unrealistic and overly simplistic view of situations, such as thinking someone is either perfect or completely flawed.

How can cognitive distortions affect personal growth and confidence?

Cognitive distortions can lead to self-doubt, anxiety, and a lack of confidence by causing individuals to interpret situations negatively, thus hindering their potential for personal growth and success in various areas like public speaking or social interactions.