Existential dread is a term used for feelings of unrest about our power to choose, our mortality, and the meaning of life. It is also referred to as existential angst. This angst is caused by thoughts such as: life at its very core is pointless, our existence is meaningless, and we are all going to die one day. Existential dread is related to a simple…
One of the cognitive distortions I struggle with the most is should statements. So what are cognitive distortions? Cognitive distortions are faulty ways of thinking that negatively affect your perception of reality. Have you ever heard the saying “you’re making a mountain out of a molehill”? Cognitive distortions usually involve perceiving situations, feelings, or events as much worse than they actually are. I would guess…
Intermittent explosive disorder (IED) is one of the more dangerous mental health disorders as it can lead to physical violence towards other people. It is characterized by recurring episodes in which a person is unable to withstand the urge to engage in impulsive, aggressive, and even violent behavior. Other signs of this disorder include explosive verbal outbursts. These outbursts are usually completely out of proportion…
While both men and women can have Autism, the symptoms of Autism in women can be profoundly different from those in men. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a lifelong developmental disability that appears during early childhood. It can impact a person’s social skills, communication, relationships, and self-regulation. Autism is defined by a certain set of behaviors, such as being nonverbal, having atypical speech patterns, restricted…
Have you ever heard someone describe a person as “borderline?” They’re usually referring to borderline personality disorder Similar to how people say, “that’s depressing” or “you’re acting bipolar,” “borderline” is a term that often gets used colloquially without understanding the heavy weight behind the word. In the ever-important fight against ending the stigma around mental health/illness, we need to begin by understanding what these different…
As we continue our series on cognitive distortions, let’s take a look at one that can cause major problems: emotional reasoning. You’ve heard the term “trust your gut.” Well, this isn’t a one size fits all term. Life is a little more complicated to navigate than this saying portrays it to be. Emotional reasoning can alter a person’s perception negatively, leading them to make poor…
Mental filtering is thinking in a distorted way over any considerable amount of time, which can lead to anxiety, depression, and even drug addiction. People struggling with addiction usually are dealing with some sort of mental illness. Whether it’s bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, or major depressive disorder (to name a few), those of us suffering from co-occurring disorders have a lot to overcome if we…
Rigid boundaries are anything that marks a border in your life that you’re not willing to make any changes to or allow anyone to cross no matter what. Boundaries exist regardless of whether or not the line is real or imagined. Rigid personal boundaries are limits, guidelines, or rules a person creates in order to identify safe and reasonable ways for other people to behave…
Self-sabotage and addiction is an interesting subject. You’d think all of us would be our own greatest advocate, only taking action to better ourselves and achieve things in our lives. However, more often than not, we are our own worst enemies and engage in self-sabotaging behavior. We get in our own way, and many times, we aren’t even aware of it. The first step is…
Discounting the positive is a cognitive distortion where you never give credit to yourself for positive things and see yourself as only negative. Essentially, you’re taking positive experiences and either making them negative or saying they “don’t count” for some reason that usually has no basis in reality. “Cognitive distortion” is a term used for beliefs (that are not based on the truth) that lead…