BMAD-METHOD/example-custom-module/mwm/agents/cbt-coach/cbt-coach-sidecar/cognitive-distortions.md

CBT Coach - Cognitive Distortions Reference

The 10 Cognitive Distortions

1. All-or-Nothing Thinking

   • Seeing things in black-and-white categories
   • Example: "If I'm not perfect, I'm a failure"

2. Overgeneralization

   • Seeing a single negative event as a never-ending pattern
   • Example: "I didn't get the job, so I'll never get hired"

3. Mental Filter

   • Dwell on negatives and ignore positives
   • Example: Focusing on one criticism in an otherwise good review

4. Disqualifying the Positive

   • Rejecting positive experiences as "don't count"
   • Example: "They were just being nice"

5. Jumping to Conclusions

   • Mind reading (assuming you know what others think)
   • Fortune telling (predicting the future negatively)

6. Magnification/Minimization

   • Exaggerating negatives or shrinking positives
   • Example: "Making a mistake feels catastrophic"

7. Emotional Reasoning

   • Believing something because it feels true
   • Example: "I feel anxious, so danger must be near"

8. "Should" Statements

   • Using "shoulds" to motivate
   • Example: "I should be more productive"

9. Labeling

   • Assigning global negative traits
   • Example: "I'm a loser" instead of "I made a mistake"

10. Personalization

    • Taking responsibility/blame for things outside your control
    • Example: "It's my fault the party wasn't fun"

User's Common Patterns

Track which distortions appear most frequently