10 Thinking Errors Quiz

10 Common Thinking Errors

• Black and White Thinking: Thinking in extremes (good or bad), without considering middle ground. Using absolute labels like "failure" or "hopeless". Judging based on a single event.

  • Antidote: Consider shades of grey. Use "both/and" and "and" instead of "or".

• Awfulizing/Catastrophizing: Exaggerating the importance or awfulness (or pleasantness) of events, assuming disaster, overestimating negative outcomes (e.g., a minor setback becomes an unending pattern of defeat).

  • Antidote: Put thoughts in perspective, consider less awful explanations.

• Personalizing: Taking responsibility for anything bad even if it's unrelated. Thinking everything is one's fault.

  • Antidote: Remove yourself from the center of the problem and consider other possibilities.

• Negative Focus: Focusing on negatives, ignoring positives, misinterpreting positives as negatives, fixating on weaknesses instead of strengths.

  • Antidote: Practice being more objective, accepting positive feedback.

• Generalization: Taking one isolated event and turning it into a general pattern. Using words like "always," "never," "everything," "nothing."

  • Antidote: Replace broad statements with realistic and specific language.

• Blaming: Attributing problems to others or external factors, avoiding self-reflection.

  • Antidote: Reflect on personal contributions, take ownership.

• Fortune Telling: Jumping to conclusions (often negative) about the future without evidence. Predicting others' intentions or outcomes based on assumptions.

  • Antidote: Acknowledge assumptions may be wrong, explore alternative possibilities.

• Fixed Rules and Demands: Having rigid rules and unrealistic expectations for oneself and others, using "musts," "shoulds," and "have tos."

  • Antidote: Embrace flexibility; use more flexible language like "it would be nice if" or "I wish."

• Emotional Reasoning: Using emotions as proof of reality (e.g., "I feel this way, therefore it must be true").

  • Antidote: Question if there's evidence, outside of feelings, supporting your conclusions.

• Low Frustration Tolerance: Assuming problems will be insurmountable (intolerable, unbearable). Minimizing coping capacity.

  • Antidote: Reflect on past successes, remember ability to overcome challenges.