Negative or Unrealistic Ways of Thinking that Fuel Depression

When you are depressed, you can't help but think negative. Even when you try to go back and think of goo memories, the dark shadow will pull you and stop you from being happy. Sometimes, you also think of bad things that have not actually happened yet. These are the unrealistic ways of thinking the just fuel depression.

Maybe knowing what those negative or unrealistic ways of thinking, we can help ourselves to pull ourselves from depression. 

Below are some of the negative and unrealistic ways of thinking that fuel depression:

1.) ALL OR NOTHING THINKING

Looking at things in black-or-white categories, with no middle ground (“If I fall short of perfection, I’m a total failure.”)

2.) OVER GENERALIZATION

Generalizing from a single negative experience, expecting it to hold true forever (“I can’t do anything right.”)

3.) THE MENTAL FILTER

Ignoring positive events and focusing on the negative. Noticing the one thing that went wrong, rather than all the things that went right.

4.) DIMINISHING THE POSITIVE

Coming up with reasons why positive events don’t count (“She said she had a good time on our date, but I think she was just being nice.”)

5.) JUMPING TO CONCLUSION

Making negative interpretations without actual evidence. You act like a mind reader (“He must think I’m pathetic”) or a fortune teller (“I’ll be stuck in this dead-end job forever.”)

6.) EMOTIONAL REASONING

Believing that the way you feel reflects reality (“I feel like such a loser. I really am no good!”)

7.) "SHOULDS" AND "SHOULD NOTS"

Holding yourself to a strict list of what you should and shouldn’t do, and beating yourself up if you don’t live up to your rules.

8.) LABELING

Classifying yourself based on mistakes and perceived shortcomings (“I’m a failure; an idiot; a loser.”)