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