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Before we move on to the next cognitive distortion, let’s bear in mind that these distortions arise in automatic thoughts. They happen so fast and reflexively that you are usually not even conscious they’re happening. Later in this series we’ll look at techniques to expose and dismantle them.

In the last post, we looked at the second cognitive distortion on the list: Over-generalizing. Today, let’s look at the third: Mental Filter.

In the mental filter distortion, you focus like a laser on one negative or upsetting aspect of an event or situation to the exclusion of all else.

Example One: Franklin’s Drive

This morning, on his way to work, Franklin accidently cut someone off with his car in traffic. Even though in every other respect his driving was fine, he spends the rest of the day berating himself for his single mistake. He thinks: I shouldn’t have cut that person off. I’m a bad driver.

Example Two: Harry’s Unrequited Love

Harry’s life is good. He has a job he loves, a home he’s happy to return to every day, and he’s soon going on a vacation abroad he’s been looking forward to. But all he can think about, over and over, is how the woman he’d like to court has rejected him. He thinks: Why doesn’t she feel about me the way I feel about her?

Example Three: Tina at the Mall

As Tina walks through a crowded shopping mall, people are courteous, and a few smile at her as the pass by. Then someone is rude to her. She thinks: “People are so rude.”

Notice that in all three examples, the thinker concentrates solely on a single upsetting aspect of the event or situation.

In the next post, we’ll take a closer look at the next cognitive distortion on the list: Disqualifying the Positive.

This entry was posted on Friday, August 31st, 2007 at 9:34 am and is filed under Cognitive Therapy, Emotion, Mind. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.