Editing Cognitive distortion (section)

{{short description|Exaggerated or irrational thought pattern}}
{{redirect|Thinking errors|faulty reasoning|Fallacy}}

A '''cognitive distortion''' is a thought that causes a person to perceive reality inaccurately due to being exaggerated or [[irrationality|irrational]]. Cognitive distortions are involved in the onset or perpetuation of [[psychopathological]] states, such as [[Depression (mood)|depression]] and [[anxiety]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Helmond |first1=Petra |last2=Overbeek |first2=Geertjan |last3=Brugman |first3=Daniel |last4=Gibbs |first4=John C. |year=2015 |title=A Meta-Analysis on Cognitive Distortions and Externalizing Problem Behavior |url=https://pure.uva.nl/ws/files/2363981/157636_435806.pdf |journal=Criminal Justice and Behavior |volume=42 |issue=3 |pages=245–262 |doi=10.1177/0093854814552842 |s2cid=146611029}}</ref>

According to [[Aaron Beck]]'s cognitive model, a negative outlook on reality, sometimes called ''negative [[schema (psychology)|schemas]]'' (or ''schemata''), is a factor in symptoms of emotional dysfunction and poorer [[subjective well-being]]. Specifically, negative thinking patterns reinforce negative [[emotion]]s and thoughts.<ref name="grohol">{{cite web|last=Grohol |first=John |year=2009 |title=15 Common Cognitive Distortions |url=http://psychcentral.com/lib/2009/15-common-cognitive-distortions/ |publisher=PsychCentral |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090707124344/http://psychcentral.com/lib/2009/15-common-cognitive-distortions/ |archive-date=2009-07-07}}</ref> During difficult circumstances, these distorted thoughts can contribute to an overall negative outlook on the world and a depressive or anxious mental state. According to [[Learned helplessness|hopelessness theory]] and [[Beck's cognitive triad|Beck's theory]], the meaning or interpretation that people give to their experience importantly influences whether they will become depressed and whether they will experience severe, repeated, or long-duration episodes of depression.<ref>{{Cite web|title=APA PsycNet|url=https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2002-01778-011|access-date=2020-06-29|website=psycnet.apa.org|language=en}}</ref>

Challenging and changing cognitive distortions is a key element of [[cognitive behavioral therapy]] (CBT).