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Postive Education - Thinking Traps

Dave Ross —

Thinking traps are unhelpful automatic (ingrained) patterns of thought that interfere with optimal functioning.

Thinking traps narrow our vision, causing us to miss important information, with potentially significant emotional and behavioural consequences. Thinking traps are common, particularly when we are stressed.

Three Common Thinking Traps are:

Catastrophising 

Imagining the worst case scenario. Think of other potential outcomes.

Personalising

Believing you are the sole cause of the problem or setback; or taking all the blame when it is only partially your responsibility. Look for the contributing factors that may be influencing the circumstances.

Black and White Thinking

Sometimes we see things as good/bad, right/wrong, success/failure. Let’s recognise the shades of grey in between.


WHEN YOU NOTICE YOURSELF DOING ANY OF THESE, WORK ON DISPUTING OR DISTRACTING TO REFRAME PERCEPTION.ASK: “IS THAT TRUE?”