Ever felt like your brain is working against you?
You try to stay positive, but your thoughts spiral. One small mistake feels like a disaster. Someone doesn’t text back, and you assume they’re mad. These patterns aren’t random — they’re cognitive distortions.

What Are Cognitive Distortions?

Cognitive distortions are biased ways of thinking that distort reality. They’re automatic, deeply ingrained, and often go unnoticed. But they shape how you feel, behave, and react — often making life feel harder than it actually is.

5 Common Mental Traps

1. All-or-Nothing Thinking
   If it’s not perfect, it’s a failure. You miss one workout, so you quit altogether. Life becomes black or white — with no room for gray.
2. Catastrophizing
   You expect the worst-case scenario — always. A late reply means the relationship is over. A bad day at work means you’re getting fired.
3. Mind Reading
   You assume you know what others think — and it’s never good. “She didn’t smile at me. She must hate me.”
4. Emotional Reasoning
   “If I feel anxious, something bad must be happening.” Emotions become proof of reality — even when they lie.
5. Labeling
   You make one mistake and call yourself a failure. One rejection becomes “I’m unlovable.”

How They Impact Your Life

These distortions create a loop. A thought triggers an emotion. That emotion feeds the thought. And soon, you’re stuck — anxious, drained, confused. Over time, they can erode your confidence and relationships.

How to Break the Cycle

Notice the distortion. Give it a name.

Question it. Ask: is this 100% true?

Replace it. Try a more balanced alternative thought.

Want help doing this daily?
The “Get Out of the Box” app helps you track your mental traps and reframe them in real-time. Designed by a clinical psychologist, it offers tools for awareness and clarity — without the fluff.

Ready to stop believing every thought you think?
Download the app or explore our therapeutic card decks to start changing your mental patterns — one small shift at a time.