Let’s start with polarized thinking as a cognitive distortion, this means that it is a reasoning error that we make without realizing it, we treat the information that reality gives us in a way that is wrong, which leads us to experience a certain kind of emotional disturbance.
Cognitive distortions were described by Albert Ellis and Aaron Beck; in general, they are defined as erroneous beliefs that lead to dysfunctional moods, irrational fears or unfounded sadnesses, etc. Polarized thinking is one of those types of cognitive distortion.
- What is in polarized thinking is an extreme simplification of reality.
- Things are white or black.
- Good or bad.
- Etc.
- You cannot see the nuances that exist between one end and the other.
- Anyone with this type of distortion feels comfortable placing reality.
- At one end.
- Why is this happening?We’ll see below.
Generalizing is always wrong. -Hermann Keyserling-
The main characteristic of polarized thinking is the tendency to generalize and encompass different realities in the same category, so the favorite words of those who think so are the most categorical: always, never, everything, nothing, etc. . You must place any isolated incidents that reach you in one of these boxes.
The most worrying thing is that these extreme categories are generally very negative, they are used to reiterate the existence of something bad. In those who think like this, expressions like, is everything wrong with me?Or ‘they always end up taking advantage of me. ‘ Such reasoning.
For those who have a polarized thought, it is as if there are no nuances or midpoints, they build much of their identity on these compelling classifications and seek a way to find everything, even if reality proves them wrong, they hesitate to do so. renounce their radicalization.
In general, polarized thinking is a characteristic of those who take a position of victimization in relation to life. No one does it on a whim, on a whim. It is an emotional blockage resulting from unresolved experiences. At the bottom of it all is the idea that?Bad things that weren’t deserved.
The victim assumes as a passive object of the circumstances or “destination”, and denies it. She doesn’t think she has any control over the negative events she’s experienced or how she’s handled them. It is assumed to have been a passive security deposit and there is nothing I can do about it.
So it’s a block of emotional development. These types of people continue to look like children, have not discovered tools or resources that they can use to overcome many of their challenges, but project their complaints and adopt polarized thinking to support their existential position.
This type of thinking is not only a cognitive error, but involves unresolved previous difficulties. Overcoming means taking a new perspective on our own history and who we are now, what we can do now.
Taking the position of victims of circumstance also implies a gain: it exempts us from responsibility and, of course, to get out of there, we have to fundamentally accept that we are responsible for what happens to us, but above all for the way we handle it.
A good way to start is to get these automatisms. Activate an alarm every time we say categorical words like “never”, “always”, “all”, “nothing”, etc. Then stop to assess how reasonable we are the statement to make is.
Also, it is important to think about situations in which we feel victimized, perhaps a relationship that causes us discomfort, or a job that we perceive as excessively demanding.
The only option we really have is to hold on and resist?Or maybe we know there are other solutions, but are we afraid to choose them?Perhaps polarized thinking is an indicator that we don’t take ourselves seriously enough. We may need space and time to reflect on what’s happening to us.