Last month we focused on mental health, and I want to continue the conversation this month by looking more specifically at ‘thinking traps’ – a model and term typically used in CBT.
CBT stands for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. It’s a type of psychotherapy that aims to help individuals identify and change negative thoughts and behaviours that are causing emotional and behavioural problems.
CBT is based on the idea that our thoughts, feelings, and behaviours are interconnected and that by changing the way we think, we can change how we feel and behave.
In CBT, individuals typically work with a therapist to identify negative thought patterns and behaviours and develop strategies to change them. The therapist may use a variety of techniques, such as cognitive restructuring, exposure therapy, and relaxation techniques, to help individuals overcome their problems. These techniques are effective in treating a wide range of mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress.
More specifically, many people experiencing stress, anxiety and depression have great results with the ‘thinking traps’ approach. It helps you identify and separate yourself from your thinking patterns, you can then challenge and recognise that your thoughts are flawed or unrealistic, which allows you to change/reframe them to something more rational and balanced … and, ultimately, you then feel better.
One of the keys to managing your mindset and alleviating stress is in being able to observe your thoughts, which therefore means you don’t fully ‘own’ them or identify with them.
I often refer to CBT principles and concepts in my work with clients and it’s also helped me many times in the past to identify when my thinking or perspective has become distorted.
The ‘thinking traps’ model is a really great one to learn and understand because almost everyone falls into one or more of these ‘thinking traps’ when they’re stressed, and the more stressed someone is the more likely it is to happen! This is because, as I’ve mentioned many times over, stress skews our perspective and makes us zoom in on potential threats – which magnifies perceived problems.
Thinking traps are cognitive biases that lead to flawed or irrational thinking patterns. There are many, which we will be looking at in more detail over the next few blog posts, but they usually involve:
- Confirmation bias – favouring information that confirms existing beliefs.
- Availability bias – relying on easily accessible examples.
- Overgeneralisation – drawing broad conclusions from limited evidence.
- Emotional reasoning – letting emotions guide reasoning.
- Black-and-white thinking – seeing things as either good or bad with no middle ground.
- Catastrophising – exaggerating the negative consequences.
These traps can hinder our critical thinking, distort perceptions, and contribute to poor decision-making, so being able to recognise and challenge these traps is essential for developing a more rational and objective mindset … And ultimately, a more rational and objective mindset will make us feel calmer, more in control and less stressed.
Once you recognise and remember these principles you can then challenge your own thoughts on a regular basis whenever you’re having negative feelings.
Look out for the next post where we’ll be looking more specifically at some of the most common thinking traps so that you can start recognising them in yourself.
Kate x
And, remember, if you’re struggling with any of these issues I talk about here please reach out and get intouch for a complimentary consultation where we can discuss your situation and how I might be able to help you.
