8. Cognitive Restructuring
Alain de Botton on overcoming negative thought patterns to find joy
| 1. Identify the Maladaptive Thought | To pinpoint the specific thought or belief that is causing distress. | "What thought went through your mind right before you started feeling anxious?" |
| 2. Examine the Evidence | To objectively assess the evidence for and against the identified thought. | "What evidence do you have that supports this belief? What evidence might contradict it?" |
| 3. Challenge the Thought | To question the validity and utility of the maladaptive thought. | "Is there another way of looking at this situation? What would you say to a friend who had this thought?" |
| 4. Develop an Alternative Thought | To construct a more balanced and adaptive alternative to the original thought. | "What's a more helpful or realistic thought you could have in this situation?" |
Testing Thoughts (Beck Institute)
1. What is the situation? You might be having thoughts about something that just happened in the environment or something that happened inside of you (e.g., an intense emotion, a painful sensation, an image, a daydream, a flashback or a stream of thoughts, such as thinking about my future).
2. What am I thinking or imagining?
4. What makes me think the thought is true?
5. What makes me think the thought is not true or not completely true?
6. What’s another way to look at this?
7. If the worst happens, what could I do then?
8. What’s the best that could happen?
9. What will probably happen?
10. What will happen if I keep telling myself the same thought?
11. What could happen if I changed my thinking?
12. What would I tell my friend or family member [think of a specific person] if this happened to them?
13. What would be good to do now?
Untwisting Cognitive Distortions (Cognitive Restructuring)
- Identify
- Examine the Evidence
- Double Standard Method
- Experimental Technique
- Thinking in Shades of Gray
- Semantic Method
- Re-Attribution
- Cost Benefit Analysis
From Cognitive Processing Therapy - Stuck points (aka self-defeating beliefs, cognitive distortions)
- What is the evidence for and against this Stuck Point?
For:
Against:
2. Is your Stuck Point a habit or based on facts?
3. In what ways is your Stuck Point not including all of the information?
4. Does your Stuck Point include all-or-none terms?
5. Does the Stuck Point include words or phrases that are extreme or exaggerated (such as “always,” “forever,” “never,” “need,” “should,” “must,” “can’t,” and “every time”)?
6. In what way is your Stuck Point focused on just one piece of the story?
7. Where did this Stuck Point come from? Is this a dependable source of information on this Stuck Point?
8. How is your Stuck Point confusing something that is possible with something that is likely?
9. In what ways is your Stuck Point based on feelings rather than facts?
10. In what ways is this Stuck Point focused on unrelated parts of the story?
See an example
Jeremy Sutton, Ph.D.
therapist.com team
CPT is cognitive behavioral therapy for trauma.
Disputing & Debating
Sanju Pradeepa Danthanarayana
Disputing & Debating Self defeating thoughts
kdoyle
"The Functional Dispute puts things in perspective, offering rational alternatives to think about the same problem. In REBT, it opens up doors for deeper introspection to our belief patterns. Not only that, but it tends to stop you on your worry and rumination tracks. So take a moment to reflect on your unhelpful beliefs. Are they helping or getting in the way of a goal we wish to achieve?"
2026: Anxious young adults are more likely to develop digital addictions
Eric W. Dolan
"...frequent procrastinators tend to experience higher anxiety about failing, particularly when it comes to short-term objectives. These findings suggest that procrastination is less about an inability to envision the future and more about managing the negative emotions associated with pursuing goals.
Procrastination: Anxiety around goal failure may also be a hallmark feature of procrastination. This suggests that strategies for managing anxiety might be just as important as attempts to change people’s perception of distant rewards or help them manage impulses.
Stop Procrastinating Now! Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for ADHD Adults
Jonny Thomson
We often talk about the power and importance of habits, but we often neglect to consider the darker sides of habits. Neuroscientist says -- two ways to “dishabituate” yourself: take a break or make a change... our lives will have exploring and exploiting stages, and it’s important to keep track of the balance.
The Success Mindset for ADHD Procrastinators, Dreamers & Survivors
"The reasons for not pursuing our dreams are plentiful and formidable — but rarely as hard to defeat as we assume. The hardest part? Using cognitive restructuring to train our brains to assume the best, not the worst. This is where cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) enters the picture."
Cognitive‐behavioural interventions for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults (2018) "findings suggest that CBT might improve the core symptoms of ADHD, reducing inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity."
Darwin A. Guevarra and Xuhai “Orson” Xu and Emiliana Simon-Thomas
In a world grappling with loneliness, burnout and ideological division, small reminders of inspiration, kindness and connection can be powerful. When people have more joy in their lives, they also tend to be more generous with their time and resources. And when people want to give more to one another, everyone benefits
Michael DeMarco, PhD
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