12 cognitive distortions in rational-emotive therapy by Albert Ellis

Cognitive distortions are like lenses with a distorted focus that are used to see the world, oneself and the other and cause emotional disorders.

Albert Ellis’ rational-emotive therapy is one of the branches of cognitive-behavioral therapies. In this text, we will try to talk about the main points of Ellis’ theory and practice.

Between stimulus and response

The philosopher Epictetus’ idea that “we do not suffer because of things, but because of the way we see things” is central to rational-emotive therapy. Between the stimulus and the response there is a fundamental element: our interpretation of the stimulus. If a child falls, he may immediately interpret the fall as horrible or funny. The crying or laughing response will come not from the initial stimulus but from the interpretation.

Ellis explains this question through the letters ABC. A is the event. B comes from the word Belief, belief, in English and C is the consequence. If there were no midpoint of the B, of beliefs, all people would react in the same way to the same stimulus.

For example, if there were no belief mediating the relationship between the event and the consequence, the answer, every relationship ending could be seen as sad. And we know that is not the case. The event of ending a relationship can be felt as a relief, as happiness, as freedom, etc; for depending on the belief about what the relationship meant the consequence will take place. If the person thinks that his or her partner was the love of his life, he will be heartbroken and even depressed. If, on the other hand, you understand that parting is the best thing that ever happened then you will be happy.

Therefore, both behaviors and emotions arise from the beliefs we have and maintain.

I must…I must

With his enormous clinical experience, Ellis defends the idea that psychological disorders are based on absolutist beliefs of “I should” or “I have to” about oneself, about others (he, she, they should, have to) and about the world (which should be… has to be…). Although they may even seem rational, such beliefs are not and cause many affective and motivational problems, often paralyzing the subject in pursuit of his dreams.

They stem from the must that… I have to…

1. Catastrophizing: the tendency to evaluate (oneself, the other, the world) as totally bad, because there is the idea that it should not or could not be as it is;
2. “I will not bear it”: the idea that it will not be possible to bear it now or what may happen. If such a fact has to happen, and it is not happening, or it could change, the idea is created that if what I think should happen doesn’t happen, the person will not be able to stand it.
3. Condemnation: By understanding that the value of a person (or himself) comes from his behavior, which is aligned with what he should or has to be…, the person starts to condemn the other or himself according to his parameters.

12 cognitive distortions

Ellis raises 12 main distortions that are also based on the I must… I have to logic and that cause negative consequences within the ABC scheme:

1. All or nothing thinking

“Whether error or failure, I am a total failure.” In this kind of all-or-nothing thinking, reality is divided into 8 or 80.

2. Jumping to negative conclusions

“If I did what I shouldn’t, they’ll see me as a horrible person.” The conclusions drawn from the premises are negative.

3. guess the future

“Because I failed to do what I had to do, I will never be appreciated in the future.” The future is projected as real, certain and in a pessimistic way.

4. Focusing on the negative

“I can’t stand what’s happening, everything seems lost.” The focus of attention is on everything that didn’t have to or shouldn’t, so the negative about everything takes precedence.

5. Disqualifying the positive

“That’s kind of cool, but it doesn’t matter because it doesn’t really mean anything important.” The positive in situations is even visualized, but soon discarded.

6. always and never

“It has always been like this, it will never be different, although it should be”. It is not noticed, in the thinking of always-never, that reality changes at all times.

7. minimization

“What I got was by luck and not by ability”. In this type of thinking, everything that is positive about yourself or another is minimized.

8. emotional reasoning

“I shouldn’t feel this way and feeling this way shows how no good I am.” Here there is a rationalization of emotion such that a particular emotion should not be felt and the fact of feeling it proves inappropriateness.

9. Labeling and overgeneralization

“I’m a disgrace and I haven’t done anything with my life.” There is the creation of a fixed label and an absolute and absurd generalization.

10. Personalization

“As I walk down the street, people look at me and laugh at me.” In this form, everything is brought into the self, as if all negative or even neutral things are about oneself.

11. falsification

“They will soon discover that I am a fraud and that I don’t do things right.” Here the thinking is similar to the famous imposter syndrome, the idea that one is not capable and that sooner or later it will be discovered.

12. Perfectionism

And finally, perfectionism consists of the thought that it is always possible to do something perfect and that, deep down, “I never did or will never reach that level”.

Conclusion

Although rational-emotive therapists investigate and try to help patients change these 12 distortions, there is a consensus among them that the main thing is to change the thoughts “I should”, “I have to”, because they are the core beliefs from which illogical and dysfunctional thoughts arise.

Related