Cognitive distortions — systematic errors in thinking — are both symptoms and drivers of coronavirus disease 2019. Identifying and correcting them is core to CBT.
Common Cognitive Distortions in Coronavirus Disease 2019
All-or-nothing thinking: 'I failed once, therefore I always fail' — common in coronavirus disease 2019
Catastrophizing: Expecting the worst-case outcome for coronavirus disease 2019-related situations
Mind reading: Assuming others are judging you negatively
Fortune telling: Predicting negative coronavirus disease 2019-related outcomes as facts
Emotional reasoning: 'I feel like I'm failing, therefore I am' — coronavirus disease 2019 emotions mistaken for evidence
Should statements: Rigid rules about how you or others must behave that create coronavirus disease 2019 when violated
Correcting Cognitive Distortions in Coronavirus Disease 2019
The CBT process: identify the distorted thought → examine the evidence → generate a more balanced alternative → notice the effect on coronavirus disease 2019.
With practice, cognitive restructuring becomes automatic and coronavirus disease 2019 loses much of its staying power.