Dysfunctional Thinking (as defined by www.dictionary.com)
dys·func·tion
(d
s-f
ngk
sh
n).
n.
Abnormal or impaired functioning, especially of a bodily system or organ.
dys·function·al adj.
think (thngk)
v.
thought (thôt), think·ing, thinks.
v. tr.
To have or formulate in the mind.
| All or nothing thinking | |
| Things are seen as black or white. If total perfection is not achieved then a perception of complete failure results. | |
| Kevin: "Damn it!! The computer got positive yards!!" | |
| Over Generalization | |
| A specific failure or negative result is generalized as an endless pattern. | |
| Bruce: "You always get those freaking third down conversions." Ethan: "The computer always screws me up, this is bullshit!!" | |
| Mental Filter | |
| A single negative detail is dwelled upon, thus distorting all other aspects of one's perception of reality. | |
| Bruce: "So what if Majkowski completed a pass, he still sucks. He's the worst damn quarterback I've ever seen. I hate the Colts!!" | |
| Mind Reading | |
| Drawing negative conclusions regarding situations despite a lack of concrete evidence to support these conclusions. | |
| Kevin: "Fumble, I'm losing." | |
| Fortune Telling | |
| Arbitrarily predicting that things will turn out badly. | |
| Bruce: "I'm gonna get thrashed by the Bills." | |
| Magnifying and Minimizing | |
| Exaggerating the importance of negative factors and minimizing the importance of positive factors related to one's situation. | |
| Bruce: "I don't care how many yards I gained, those fumbles were the only reason I didn't win." | |
| Should Statements | |
| Statements in one's self-talk such as "should" and "shouldn't" and "ought" and "must" are used to coerce or manipulate oneself into taking actions. | |
| Bruce: "I should just hide my food from the Viper so she'll stop eating it while I'm out playing Tecmo." | |
| Emotional Reasoning | |
| Interpreting reality based on the negative emotions one experiences. | |
| Ethan: "Oh look, Barry fumbled again! I swear, this is such bullshit. Tecmo is bullshit. Classes are bullshit. My professors are bullshit. My roommate is full of bullshit. I mean, it's all bullshit!.....[sigh]..... I gotta go pee..." | |
| Labeling and Mislabeling | |
| Describing oneself, others, or an event with negative labels. | |
| Bruce: "Kevin, you're a damn cheater! You can't put Don Beebe in the running back's slot!! You suck!! I'm playing under protest!!" | |
| Personalization | |
| Identifying oneself (blaming oneself) as the cause of negative events or outcomes that one is not primarily responsible for causing. | |
| John: "Gosh you guys...I should have known this cartridge was going to fail us...I never should have rented / stole it from Moovies. | |