We feel that we are treating the world as it is, but we are not. Our minds and senses create mental distortions. We interpret each situation according to our wishes, beliefs, expectations and intentions.
There are several situations in which we distort our perception, although this is normal, the truth is that these distortions can be aggravated by the presence of a mental disorder such as depression.
These false cognitive distortions make us vulnerable to cognitive sadness, depression and low self-esteem.
So let’s know the 11 mental distortions of reality, define what they are and how they manifest themselves.
Mental distortions prevent us from seeing reality as it is, that is, they distort reality by focusing on one aspect.
The fundamental elements of Beck’s cognitive pattern of depression are the patterns, automatic thoughts, and cognitive mental distortions we just named.
Cognitive patterns are basic assumptions and beliefs about reality. Automatic thoughts are thoughtful, irrational, inappropriate, involuntary, and perceived as acceptable.
Cognitive distortions are systematic errors that occur in the processing of information, so poor distortion is the central element of a person’s discomfort.
All these patterns are formed in childhood and can be triggered by a stressful event in adulthood, after this activation, we take care of everything with that negative pattern that causes cognitive distortions and automatic thoughts, that is when the cognitive triad of depression appears: a negative view of oneself, the world and the future.
“Mary is a child who has witnessed her mother’s abuse by her father since she was little. On the other hand, your mother tells you that this is normal, that all men are the same when they are married.
Mary makes the experience and will have a negative pattern in relationships with men, which will be activated when she passes through a stressful problem, similar to the situation at the origin of the scheme. A few years later, her boyfriend yells at him and automatically. The ploy: Are all men bad and mistreating us?
From there, all the information will be processed by this diagram and automatic thoughts will appear about everything your partner does. For example, “all the damage you do to me is for my own good. “Cognitive distortions are triggered when information is treated as an emotional reasoning: “I’m going to die, but I can’t leave it. “
This will help activate the cognitive triad of depression in Mary’s mind: a negative view of herself, the situation and the future.
The best way to treat depression that has been caused by this way of treating information is Beck’s cognitive therapy for depression.
Beck’s cognitive therapy is very comprehensive: it comprises an educational, professional training and application phase in real life, many techniques are used to challenge or dismantle all the false knowledge used by the person that threatens their self-esteem and causes depression .
Reassignment, the search for alternative interpretations, the questioning of the evidence of these patterns and the contrast with the catastrophic predictions we make all the time are some of these techniques used in the treatment.
In this therapy is very important the relationship between the patient and the therapist, this treatment has been shown to be very effective, especially when it comes to the behavioral part: it is good to stay active, even if it does not feel good and still have these cognitive distortions. Over time, with repetitions and with the energy that movement gives us, we will reach our goal.