Thank you if you followed along with me on my journey here. I am not a professional, nor am I an expert. I’m just a human trying to figure it all out.

Thoughts? Questions? Suggestions? Let me know! Always happy to discuss these topics. Always here with an ear to listen.

I love you all, my friends.

Just remember the Three R’s

Recognize, Reword, and Reframe

Recognize that your thinking is distorted. Reword the distortions into the fear they hide. Reframe the fear into a positive truth.

You are not alone in this. Cognitive distortions are a battle we all fight. There are ways to fight back <3

I will not lie, it is hard to fight against cognitive distortions. It can feel impossible at times. But there are skills, skills that can be improved upon

I cannot tell you that the distortions will ever stop, but I can shine a light on that monster in the closet, showing the shirts in the shadows.

Now we come to step three. Reframe. Try to flip your fear into a positive. Find what you know is true.

My worth is not defined by the quality of my work.

There is no quota to meet in life. All there is to do is enjoy being alive.

The fact that I am alive at all is proof my existence is worth it.

How can we simplify this? What is it exactly that your brain is trying to tell you?

I’m don’t want to try, because I’m afraid to fail.

I am scared of wasting my potential, so I’d rather relinquish it.

I am scared that nothing I do has enough meaning to be worth it.

All valid concerns. All normal

Let’s take our top example again. Everything needs to be perfect or it’s not worth doing at all.

Why are we thinking this? What are we actually afraid of. Maybe the fear of failure? The fear that we’ll put all of this energy into something for no reason? Maybe it’s the fear that we’re wasting time?

Now that you’ve recognized these thoughts, we can go onto step two. Reword.

As you look at your distorted thought, try to pull the Scooby Doo mask off. What fear is this thought stemming from? What is your brain afraid of asking?

Try to come up with with a sentence that can piece it together

When you’re feeling bad, and you can’t get out of spiraling thoughts, try recognizing what kind of thinking they are. Are they helpful, productive thoughts? Are they funny memes and posts within your mind? Or, perhaps, are they the pain within your brain trying to convince you that the world is evil

In these patterns, you can learn a lot about yourself. Do you catastrophize and assume the worst? Do you mind read and imagine conversations that highlight how your loved ones hate you? In what ways is your mind trying to scare you?

It’s like a monster in the closet, caveman brain scared of nothing

Cognitive distortions can be hard, but there are some steps that can make it easier to combat them.

First, recognize. This can be the hardest step. How do you recognize what is a purely instinctual thought?

Honestly, it’s hard. Reflect. Think about thinking. Observe your thoughts, find patterns