Overgeneralisation

Overgeneralisation is a common cognitive distortion, a mental 'shortcut' that can lead us astray from objective reality. It happens when we take one event or piece of evidence and draw broad, generalised conclusions from it (Beck, 1976). It's as if we're painting with a broad brush, allowing one incident to colour our entire perspective.

Suppose you have one challenging work meeting, and you conclude, "I'm terrible at my job," or perhaps a friend doesn't respond to a text, and you think, "Nobody cares about me." You've jumped from a single instance to an all-encompassing belief, and this is overgeneralisation at work.

Overgeneralisation is linked to several mental health conditions. It is often seen in depression, where individuals might generalise from a single failure or shortcoming to see themselves as entirely defective or worthless (Ingram, Miranda, & Segal, 1998). Anxiety disorders, too, are prone to overgeneralisation, as people may overgeneralise from a single threat or negative experience to perceive danger everywhere (Rachman, 1997).

Strategies

Addressing overgeneralisation effectively involves employing therapeutic techniques mainly from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and mindfulness-based therapies.

CBT practitioners use strategies like cognitive restructuring to combat overgeneralisation. Cognitive restructuring involves identifying the overgeneralisation, challenging the validity of the broad conclusion, and then replacing it with a more accurate and balanced thought (Beck, 2011).

An example of cognitive restructuring might look like this: a person believes, "I failed the test, so I'm a failure." They can challenge this thought by asking, "Does failing a test mean I'm a failure in all areas of life?" A more balanced thought might be, "I didn't do well on this test, but that doesn't define my overall worth or capability."

Mindfulness-based interventions offer another path to addressing overgeneralisation. They teach individuals to observe their thoughts non-judgmentally, seeing them as transient mental events rather than absolute truths (Kabat-Zinn, 2003). This observational stance helps people to detach from overgeneralised thinking, reducing its emotional impact.

Overgeneralisation can taint our worldview with a broad brush, promoting negative self-perceptions and harmful beliefs. Recognising and challenging these distortions through therapeutic strategies and a mindful approach to thoughts can help us paint a more accurate, nuanced picture of our lives.

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Sources:

1. Beck, A. T. (1976). Cognitive Therapy and the Emotional Disorders. International Universities Press.
2. Ingram, R. E., Miranda, J., & Segal, Z. V. (1998). Cognitive Vulnerability to Depression. Guilford Press.
3. Rachman, S. (1997). The evolution of cognitive behaviour therapy. In Science and Practice of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy. Oxford University Press.
4. Beck, J. S. (2011). Cognitive Behavior Therapy: Basics and Beyond (2nd ed.). The Guilford Press.
5. Kabat-Zinn, J. (2003). Mindfulness-Based Interventions in Context: Past, Present, and Future. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 10(2), 144–156.