<img src="https://pxl.host/kql6q4a93ar24jz49be.png">Labeling. You label yourself or others so you see your entire self (or someone else) as totally defective or superior. For example, when you make a mistake, you call yourself a “loser” instead of saying, “I made a mistake.”

Labeling.

<img src="https://pxl.host/kql6lv4rpa8sj3ykcek.png">You think about yourself or the world in black-or-white, all-or-nothing categories. Shades of gray do not exist. This is also known as “dichotomous” thinking. For example, you tell yourself, “I’m a total failure” after flunking an exam.

. All-or-Nothing Thinking

<img src="https://pxl.host/kql6mg54y0b4psiho4.png">Overgeneralization. You think about a negative event as a never-ending pattern of defeat or a positive event as a never-ending pattern of success. For example, you label yourself “unlovable” after a breakup.

Overgeneralization.

<img src="https://pxl.host/kql6r7iiu3lpamilcr.png">In fact, this is why people often resist treatment. Their negative thoughts and feelings can be helpful and appropriate because they reflect their core values as a humans. <ol><li><img src="https://pxl.host/kql6s7qh2p6v0wgkwie.png">What are some benefits or advantages of this negative thought or feeling? How might it be helping you?</li><li>What does this negative thought or feeling show about you and your core values that’s positive and awesome?</li></ol>

Positive Reframing 

Jumping to Conclusions. You jump to conclusions that aren’t warranted by the facts. There are two common versions of this distortion.

Jumping to Conclusions.

<img src="https://pxl.host/kql6mxnbdfdqlfwnocj.png">Mental Filtering. You focus on something bad and filter out all the positives—or you focus on something positive and ignore all the negatives. For example, you get one low rating in a job evaluation and conclude you’re doing a lousy job.

Mental Filtering.

<img src="https://pxl.host/kql6k3knhfnq82spswf.png">You feel the way you think. In other words, your negative emotions, like depression and anxiety, come from your thoughts and not from the circumstances of your life.The negative thoughts that upset you are nearly always distorted and twisted. They’re just not true. Depression and anxiety are the world’s oldest cons.When you can change the way you think, you can change the way you feel. Best of all, that change can happen rapidly, even if the feelings of depression and anxiety are severe.

Feeling Great Summary

<img src="https://pxl.host/kql6p7d67pge695vbdm.png">Emotional Reasoning. You reason from how you feel. This can be very misleading because your feelings result entirely from your thoughts and not from external reality. For example, because you feel like an idiot, you reason you must be one.

Emotional Reasoning.

<img src="https://pxl.host/kql6podmllfo2h3ct4.png"> Should Statements. You make yourself miserable with shoulds, musts, or ought tos. Self-directed shoulds cause feelings of guilt, shame, depression, and worthlessness. Other-directed shoulds trigger feelings of anger and frustration toward others. World-directed shoulds cause feelings of anger and frustration toward the world.

 Should Statements. 

<h2><img src="https://pxl.host/kql6e0qku54uclekbse.png">The Book in Five Big Ideas</h2> <ol><li>Your negative emotions result from your thoughts and not from the circumstances of your life.</li><li>The negative thoughts that upset you are nearly always distorted and twisted.</li><li>When you can change the way you think, you can change the way you feel.</li><li>Negative feelings always say something good about you</li><li>People may resist treatment because they have mixed or even negative feelings about recovery or will have to do something they don’t want to do.</li></ol>

Feeling Great by David D. Burns

<img src="https://pxl.host/kql6nkmgddiofsfj9eb.png">Discounting the Positive/Negative. You tell yourself that certain negative or positive facts don’t count to maintain a negative or positive image of yourself or the situation. For example, someone compliments you, and you tell yourself, “They’re just saying that to be nice.” Feelings of inferiority nearly always result from mental filtering and discounting the positive.

Discounting the Positive/Negative.

<img src="https://pxl.host/kql6okupymyfl6iaiqs.png">Magnification and Minimization. You blow things out of proportion or shrink their importance inappropriately. This is also called the “binocular trick” because things look much bigger or much smaller depending on what end of the binoculars you look through.

Magnification and Minimization

This is a book summary of Feeling Great by David D. Burns. Read this Feeling Great summary to review key takeaways and lessons from the book.

Feeling Great Summary

Similar ideas to Feeling Great Summary

16. Talk to someone you trust if you‘re feeling down

Challenge negative thinking

Your Attitude Is Your Window to the World.