10 cognitive distortion
- All or nothing thinking (AON)
- Over generalization (OG)
- Mental filter (MF)
- Discounting the positive (DP)
- Jumping to conclusions/ mind reading & forntain telling (FT)
- Magnification and minimization (MAG)
- Emotional reasoning (ER)
- Should statements
- Labeling
- Blame
Great question, Phil. Let’s break down the 10 cognitive distortions from David Burns’ work in a way that’s easy to remember, understand, and apply. I’ll give you:
• A simple acronym to help recall them • Clear definitions • Everyday examples
🧠 Acronym: DAMN FOOLS
This cheeky mnemonic captures all 10 distortions:
• D – Discounting the Positive • A – All-or-Nothing Thinking • M – Mental Filter • N – Negative Labeling • F – Fortune Telling • O – Overgeneralization • O – “Should” Statements (Obligations) • L – Low Emotional Reasoning • S – Self-Blame (Personalization) • S – Self-Magnification (or Minimization)
Let’s unpack each one:
- All-or-Nothing Thinking
Definition: Viewing situations in black-and-white terms, with no middle ground. Example: “If I don’t ace this test, I’m a total failure.” Reframe: “Even if I don’t get a perfect score, I can still do well and learn from it.”
- Overgeneralization
Definition: Drawing broad conclusions from a single event. Example: “I messed up this presentation—I always screw things up.” Reframe: “One bad day doesn’t define my abilities.”
- Mental Filter
Definition: Focusing only on the negative and ignoring the positive. Example: “My boss complimented my work, but mentioned one typo—so I must be incompetent.” Reframe: “The overall feedback was positive. One typo doesn’t erase that.”
- Discounting the Positive
Definition: Rejecting positive experiences by insisting they don’t count. Example: “They said I did a great job, but they were just being nice.” Reframe: “Maybe they genuinely appreciated my work.”
- Jumping to Conclusions
Definition: Making assumptions without evidence.
• Mind Reading: “She didn’t smile—she must be mad at me.” • Fortune Telling: “I just know this date will be a disaster.” Reframe: “I don’t have proof—maybe there’s another explanation.”
- Magnification / Minimization
Definition: Exaggerating flaws or shrinking strengths. Example: “I spilled coffee—everyone must think I’m a mess.” Reframe: “It was a small accident. People probably didn’t even notice.”
- Emotional Reasoning
Definition: Believing that feelings reflect facts. Example: “I feel worthless, so I must be worthless.” Reframe: “Feelings aren’t facts. I’m struggling, but that doesn’t mean I lack value.”
- “Should” Statements
Definition: Criticizing yourself or others with rigid rules. Example: “I should never feel anxious.” Reframe: “It’s okay to feel anxious—it’s part of being human.”
- Labeling
Definition: Assigning global negative labels to yourself or others. Example: “I forgot the meeting—I’m such an idiot.” Reframe: “I made a mistake. That doesn’t define me.”
- Personalization and Blame
Definition: Blaming yourself for things outside your control—or blaming others unfairly. Example: “My friend is upset—it must be my fault.” Reframe: “There could be many reasons. I’ll check in, but I’m not automatically to blame.”
Would you like a printable cheat sheet of these distortions with space to write your own examples and reframes? Or we could build a personalized tracker based on which ones you notice most often.