These ways of thinking can be more destructive than conscious thoughts. In this post I will share them with you followed by an example using my own experience and understanding. Until you learn the thinking cycles can be almost impossible to break as you don't actually realise that they are happening in your own head every day.
All or nothing thinking
This is also classed as black and white thinking.
For example : if I am writing something and I make a mistake, it's not perfect which I class as a complete failure. It's either perfect or I don't do it at all.
Over generalizing
This is judging future events by drawing on one experience.
For example: I may receive bad news over the phone, I don't like that so I am not going to answer it again as it will just be more bad news.
Mental filter
This is paying attention to only one type of evidence.
For example: my dad must be dying of cancer because he's having loads of tests on his colon. He goes to hospital so it must be serious. My mum told me it was nothing but an absses but I ignore this and only look at the evidence that I drew from my own conclusion.
Disqualifying the positive
This is also similar to the mental filter. It is a total rejection of anything positive. You ignore the positives in everything and even yourself.
For example: I am a happily married woman but he must feel sorry for me or feel trapped because nothing good ever happens to me so it doesn't count.
Jumping to conclusions
There are two ways in which this can present.
Mind reading
Thinking we know what other people feel and think about us or the actions we carry out.
For example: my husband just put my cream on my sling for my skin condition. He must think I'm gross and he must not like what he is seeing. Although there is no evidence that supports this.
Fortune telling
This happens quite frequently for myself it it anticipating the outcome of something in the future.
For example: if I go out on my own I will have a panic attack and I won't be able to cope and people will look at me and know that I am crazy. But this could be for anything from within the next 24 hours to months in front.
Catastrophising and minimisation
This is blowing simple things out of proportion and minimizing the importance of anything you do not want to face.
An example of catastrophising: my mum is crying, she must be ill, is it me? Is she going to die, how can I cope without her, I can't survive without her.
An example of minimisation: my bank statement has come through, there is a payment that I can't remember. I should call the bank and find out. But this means I have to talk on the phone and deal with a stranger. Anyway it doesn't matter the money is already gone I suppose. I will just do it next month if it's in again.
Emotional reasoning
This is thoughts of ourselves and thinking that they must be true if we feel that way.
For example: I'm horrible, I can't cope, I must not be a good person, I'm dirty, I don't deserve this.
Critical words
This is using critical and unhelpful words towards ourselves and other people.
An example of using critical words towards yourself: you should be able to do the washing in one day, you ought to do that because you are a wife, you must get moving right now.
An example of critical words to others: you should understand me and you must learn and you ought to be trying to understand. This often leads to frustration.
Labelling
We can apply labels to both ourselves an others.
An example for labelling ourselves: I'm useless, I'm crazy, I can't do anything right so why should I bother.
An example of others: they are idiots, I hate all men, how stupid are they.
Personalisation
It is easy to blame yourself to avoid others being blamed. Often taking responsibility for something that wasn't your fault. Also we can often blame other people for something that was your fault.
An example of blaming yourself: I'm sorry I didn't mean to bump into you I am so stupid. Even if it was the other person that walked into you. My family member is upset, I must of causes this as I'm such a bad person. I have to personally make it better.
An example of blaming others: i made a mistake and it's all your fault because you were talking to me. You made me do it, it would of been perfect if you hadn't been in the room. I don't care if you saw me do it, you were there distracting me.
So as you can see how many unhelpful thought processes we can go through. People without mental health struggles also go through some of these from time to time. The difference is that my condition can make me go all of the above at least once everyday, it can also visit each one multiple times and it takes seconds to switch between them. Gaining information on the thinking cycles we experience gives us a head start on breaking the cycles and a much lager possibility of rationalising things before we fall into the cycle. Again this is mentally and often physically exhausting. But is just another unfortunate symptom of Borderline Personality disorder and other illnesses that enable these thinking styles to take over our lives.