Emotional reasoning cognitive distortion is a specific type of distortion where individuals come to conclusions and personal beliefs based entirely on emotion. This is not the same as having an emotional reaction to something and then changing that reaction based on logic or evidence. Emotional reasoning as a cognitive distortion means that individuals disregard any evidence or logic when it stands in opposition to the judgments or decisions they have created based on their emotions.
Origins of Cognitive Distortions
Where does this type of emotional reasoning cognitive distortion come from?
Some research has suggested that these cognitive distortions result from our evolutionary psychology; evolutionarily, human beings are designed to quickly sense nearby threats, which makes the brain much more sensitive
In this context, human evolution has changed the functioning of the brain to be adaptive rather than logical.
With this in mind, cognitive distortions don’t necessarily represent an error, but negative thinking might reflect on a neurological design that isn’t grounded in reality but rather grounded in perception.
If the brain is evolutionarily designed to be on the lookout for threats, it’s going to be more sensitive to anything that might be construed as potentially threatening.
That said, this type of cognitive distortion can be harmful if taken to the extreme especially when individuals don’t learn how to practice things like mindfulness or how to pause and reflect on whether what they are feeling is grounded in logic or defensiveness.
Signs of Emotional Reasoning
Emotional reasoning as a cognitive distortion often manifests as someone having an emotional response without considering any alternatives or knowingly disregarding other possibilities.
For example:
- “I feel useless, so I must be a loser who can’t do anything good”
- “I feel anxious about going to work, so something terrible is going to happen”
- “I feel like my husband doesn’t love me anymore, so he must be cheating on me with his secretary”
- “I feel like I can’t do my job like I’m supposed to, so my boss must be ready to fire me”
Emotional reasoning can manifest in many ways, as individuals who have these feelings and then jump to conclusions based on those feelings will subsequently behave based on those same conclusions.
This embodies the relationship between thoughts, emotions, and actions.
Why is Emotional Reasoning Cognitive Distortion Harmful?
Some research, using a description cross-sectional trial, found correlations between emotional reasoning cognitive distortion and levels of anxiety and depression. For example:
- As emotional reasoning increased, intimacy decreased
- As mind reading increased, negative emotional expression increased
- As catastrophizing increased, negative emotional expression increased
- As cognitive distortions across the scale increased, so did Beck’s anxiety and back depression scales
These findings mean that emotional reasoning cognitive distortions affect how people express their emotions as well as their respective depression or anxiety levels.
Additionally, individuals who struggle with emotional reasoning are more likely to cause misunderstandings or conflicts in their personal relationships, especially if they misinterpret the actions or words of a partner, spouse, friend, or family member based on personal emotions.
Those who struggle with emotional reasoning will typically make assumptions or jump to conclusions based on how they feel emotionally, and this can lead to low self-esteem and impulsivity.
Treatment for Emotional Reasoning Cognitive Distortion
If you or someone close to you is struggling with emotional reasoning as a cognitive distortion, you can get help with the right treatment.
With The Differents, we provide mental health treatment grounded in evidence-based practices like cognitive behavioral therapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy can help you identify these distortions and challenge them. When you work with a team of therapists and participate in group therapy you’ll be able to review alternative perspectives and learn not to jump to conclusions.
With the right guidance, you can learn how to validate your emotional responses and be much more aware of the distortions you have and their impact on your quality of life.
Reach out to us today for help with emotional reasoning as a cognitive distortion.
FAQs
What is the meaning of emotional reasoning?
Emotional reasoning is considered a cognitive process or distortion where you conclude that how you feel proves what you think even if there is no other evidence or if there is evidence to the contrary. So, you might have an emotional reaction to something like feeling as though your spouse doesn’t love you anymore, and then you will use that emotion to reach a conclusion that your spouse must be cheating on you.
What mental illnesses cause emotional reasoning and distorted thinking?
Research indicates that cognitive distortions are heavily associated with a wide range of mental health conditions, primarily things like depression and anxiety disorders. If you struggle with depression or anxiety, substance abuse, or symptoms of emotional reasoning, you can get qualified professional help at The Differents.
What is an example of emotional reasoning cognitive distortion?
Emotional reasoning as a cognitive distortion is when you see your emotions as representing facts. In one example, you might be nervous when you fill out an application for a car loan. After your application is reviewed and the loan is not approved, you might say to yourself that you knew that would happen the whole time, you never should have applied for the loan, you will never be a self-sufficient adult who can afford anything on their own.
What part of the brain controls emotions and reasoning?
The limbic system helps regulate your emotions as well as your behavior. Your reasoning comes from things like the prefrontal cortex. If you have trouble with mental health disorders like depression or anxiety, they tend to affect these parts of the brain, which makes it harder to stay motivated and regulate how you feel throughout the day. With a combination of lifestyle changes, therapy, and, in some cases, pharmacological approaches, you can learn to control these symptoms and help support a well-balanced brain.
Is overthinking a cognitive distortion?
Overthinking can absolutely qualify as a cognitive distortion, particularly jumping to conclusions, catastrophizing, or all-or-nothing thinking. Overthinking can be caused by anxiety or depression, but it can also increase levels of stress, anxiety, or depression. The same is true of emotional reasoning as a cognitive distortion.
So, no matter the type of distortion you have whether it’s emotional reasoning or overthinking, cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavioral therapy alike can go a long way toward helping you to recognize when you are dealing with a cognitive distortion, disrupting that cognitive cycle, and changing how you think for the better.
