What are Thinking Errors?

 

Using the concept of thinking errors

Thinking errors can affect mood and behaviour, as has been shown in the ‘Hot-cross bun’ and ‘Five areas’ approaches. The different types of cognitive distortion or thinking error have been discussed and we will now look at how performers in particular may use these thinking practices in maladaptive ways.

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Misfocus: Because of mental filters and discounting the positives, the performer may attend only to the negative thoughts

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Self-fulfilment: Jumping to conclusions, such as mind reading and fortune telling, and hence performing in the way the mindset expects you to perform

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Perpetuation of thinking: Overgeneralization and ‘magnification and minimization’, where thoughts are repeatedly gone over, and through emotional reasoning you resort from feelings to actual statements ‘I feel stupid’ becomes ‘I am stupid’

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Playing not to lose: Where the individual allows their thinking to influence their behaviour to take the easiest route; consequently, performance can be mediocre as the individual plays safe and avoids risk

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Trying to please others (incorporates personalization and blame): Thinking is about others and their views and requirements rather than about focusing and thinking about one's own performance

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Becoming tense: Thinking leads to physical reactions and physiological responses, which in turn affect mood so that performance is affected

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Reduced confidence: Again, the individual discounts the positives. Using ‘should’ statements and labelling the shortcomings are all forms of distorted thinking, which can lower self-belief, and thinking can then affect the actual performance (behaviour).

ISSUES THAT AROSE DURING TREATMENT

Like several other class members, Suzanne struggled with various forms of thinking errors common to people with depression, such as perfectionist standards and all-or-nothing thinking. Although these errors were less rigid than when Suzanne had previously experienced a full-blown depressive episode, these ways of thinking still made it a challenge for Suzanne and other class members to build skills, including the skills of acceptance and the attitude of mindfulness. For example, skill building requires making mistakes and feeling both uncomfortable and incompetent. Suzanne, a very bright and successful professional, was used to feeling quite competent in many areas of her life. Our class asked her to stretch herself, both physically and emotionally. Although the leaders and the materials modeled and encouraged the importance of simply accepting experience, this was not easy for Suzanne.

The fact that she did not easily develop a daily practice of meditation initially seemed another example of her “badness” or failing; a problem that could potentially trigger a relapse was therefore explored in our work together. Each week, this issue arose for Suzanne or for another class member, and each week we would all practice together and process the difficulty in simply being in the moment, experiencing acceptance of the present.

Addressing these thinking errors became part of the practice of mindfulness and also preparation for life problems. For example, midway through the class, Suzanne encountered conflicts and criticism with a new, difficult boss at work. The previously described relapse into depression also resulted in negative future predictions about her workplace. This, in turn, negatively affected her work performance. She became tense and irritable and had a hard time getting an accurate picture of her excellent work skills, forgetting previous positive evaluations and feedback, as well as frequent promotions.

When Suzanne returned her attention to the moment and took a 3-minute breathing space, she brought awareness to the ways in which she was increasing tension in her body (e.g., shoulders, abdomen) and in her thoughts (e.g., “I can't do this; this is impossible”). This increased awareness allowed her to shift her relationship with these experiences and to employ other strategies that would more effectively address the challenges at work. Each evening she listened to the body scan tape, and this reminded her of the power of staying focused on the moment. She also experienced increasing mastery of this skill. Mindfulness of cooking also enriched her experience of the moment and bought her new, accurate information about herself and the world.