- #1
Posty McPostface
- 27
- 7
I've been practicing CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) as an amateur in my spare time for a while now. I do have one question about the centerpiece of what defines a healthy individual according to CBT. Meaning, in simple terms, that the less cognitive distortions you have the better off you should be in terms of psychological wellbeing.
However, I'm having some trouble understanding what are 'cognitive distortions' in general. The Wikipedia entry describes cognitive distortions as,
Maybe my question is philosophical; but, why do we have "cognitive distortions"? Are they just errors in the reasoning process of assessing a belief's truthfulness or validity with reality? I've read that people with psychiatric disorders experience a disproportionate amount of cognitive distortions compared to the general population.
Basically, I'm looking for the cause of these errors in thoughts or beliefs about the world that one can have.
Thank you.
However, I'm having some trouble understanding what are 'cognitive distortions' in general. The Wikipedia entry describes cognitive distortions as,
Cognitive distortions are thoughts that cognitive therapists believe cause individuals to perceive reality inaccurately. These thinking patterns often are said to reinforce negative thoughts or emotions.[2] Cognitive distortions tend to interfere with the way a person perceives an event. Because the way a person feels intervenes with how they think, these distorted thoughts can feed negative emotions and lead an individual affected by cognitive distortions towards an overall negative outlook on the world and consequently a depressive or anxious mental state.
Maybe my question is philosophical; but, why do we have "cognitive distortions"? Are they just errors in the reasoning process of assessing a belief's truthfulness or validity with reality? I've read that people with psychiatric disorders experience a disproportionate amount of cognitive distortions compared to the general population.
Basically, I'm looking for the cause of these errors in thoughts or beliefs about the world that one can have.
Thank you.