Chapter 1
Correcting Your Thinking
In This Chapter
Identifying classic pitfalls in human thought
Correcting your thinking
Questioning your negative thoughts and generating alternatives
Directing and redirecting your attention
Practising mindfulness
O ne of the central messages of CBT is that the thoughts, attitudes and beliefs you hold have a big effect on the way you interpret the world around you and on how you feel. So, if you’re feeling excessively bad, chances are that you’re thinking badly – or, at least, in an unhelpful way. Of course, you probably don’t intend to think in an unhelpful way, and no doubt you’re largely unaware that you do.
Thinking errors are slips in thinking that everyone makes from time to time. Just as a virus stops your computer from dealing with information effectively, so thinking errors prevent you from making accurate assessments of your experiences. Thinking errors lead you to get the wrong end of the stick, jump to conclusions and assume the worst. ...
