Understanding the thinking patterns of depression
From the book – Chapter 9: Depression and Low Mood
The thinking patterns of depression
Aaron Beck, the founder of cognitive therapy, described depression as involving a “negative triad”: a negative view of self (“I’m worthless”), of the world (“Nothing good ever happens”), and of the future (“It will always be like this”). Typical thinking errors include:
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All-or-nothing thinking: “If I’m not perfect, I’m a failure.”
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Mind reading: “They think I’m boring.”
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Overgeneralising: “I failed once, so I always fail.”
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Filtering: focusing only on negatives and ignoring positives.
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Emotional reasoning: “I feel stupid, so I must be stupid.”
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Should statements: “I should be coping better.”
Learning to notice these patterns loosen their grip.
Read the full chapter – Chapter 9: Depression and Low Mood
Stories from real life
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More on this topic: Depression and low mood – signs, causes and the way back
More questions
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