Cognitive Distortions #5: The FORTUNE-TELLER Error | Dr. Rami Nader

One of the most common cognitive distortion is the fortune-teller error, which is this idea that we know what is going to happen in the future, and, in the context of depression and anxiety, the future is bleak and negative. Our predictions of the future are usually influenced by how we are feeling at the time, so if you are feeling depressed or anxious, you are more likely to make predictions that are consistent with those emotions. One of the big problems with the fortune teller error is that it can lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy, whereby we engage in activities that increase the chances of the negative outcome that we are predicting. Another problem with the fortune-teller error is that it causes us to not recognize that our beliefs are only predictions and not facts. As this happens, we come to believe that the negative outcome is guaranteed to happen, rather than seeing it as only a possibility.

So, if you catch yourself using the fortune-teller error, what can you do about it? The first step is to recognize when you are engaging in the fortune-teller error and label those thoughts as such. Then, it is important to remind yourself that you do not own a crystal ball. Finally, it is very important to practice tolerating uncertainty as a way of chipping away at the fortune-teller error.

You can find my video on cognitive therapy here:    • REWIRE Your BRAIN with Cognitive Ther...  
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