All or Nothing Thinking Errors

All or nothing thinking is also known as ‘black or white’ thinking in that a person with these thinking errors tends to see things in these two polar opposite terms – things are either ‘fantastic’ or ‘dire’, people either ‘love me’ or ‘hate me’ and I’m a ‘success’ or a ‘failure’.

This type of thinking can lead directly to extreme emotions and behaviours and is one of the most common thinking errors we come across in the clinic.

Examples of All or Nothing Thinking

You’re on a diet and have decided to eat more healthily. You’re doing really well for the first two weeks but on Saturday you ‘caved-in’ and ate a doughnut. All or nothing thinkers are likely to conclude the the whole diet is a complete failure and you might as well go and eat the other five doughnuts in the pack.

You’re studying for your degree and with only two modules to go to graduate you fail a module. All or nothing thinking leads you to decide the the entire idea is a bad one and that you’re just not good enough to get a degree and it’s all been a waste of time.

all or nothing thinking banner

Managing All or Nothing Thinking

Try to see your thinking patterns more like how a thermometer works. A thermometer doesn’t indicate just ‘hot’ or ‘cold’, but instead gives you the temperature in a wide range of degrees with ‘freezing’ sitting at one end at zero degrees, ‘boiling’ at another end at one hundred degrees and then ninety eight other readings that are neither boiling or freezing!

Be Realistic

Nobody gets through life without ever making a mistake. One doughnut doesn’t ruin a diet or mean your eat unhealthily. Refocus on your goal, forgive yourself for this minor mishap and get back onto your diet.

Develop ‘Both-And’ Thinking

All or nothing thinking excludes two opposites by definition, so try to develop the reasoning skills to accept that opposites can co-exist.

You can BOTH be on a diet AND still eat the odd doughnut.

You can BOTH get a degree AND fail a module or two along the way.

All or nothing thinking has the ability to sabotage even the best thought-out goal seeking activity as you are far more likely to quit if the slightest ‘hiccup’ is interpreted as being a ‘complete failure’.

Overcome Your Problems with our CBT Course

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is clinically proven to be effective across a range of different mental health problems.

Using our online learning platform, it is available with 2, 5 or 10 sessions of clinical support either face-to-face in the Wombourne offices, or using Zoom video facilities.

It can also be taken as a self help CBT course that will teach you the fundamental tools and techniques used throughout the mental health profession.

tranceformental-cbt-programme-sidebar-badge

Buy Your CBT Course Here

You can purchase a course of Tranceformental CBT in our shop by clicking on any of the links below.

Self-Help CBT Course - £149

Course + 2 Clinical Sessions - £299

Course + 5 Clinical Sessions - £499

Course + 10 Clinical Sessions - £799

Get in Touch

Psychotherapist Paul Lee in Wombourne Clinic

Contact Paul

View Paul's Profile

Tel: 07434 776125

paul@tranceformpsychology.com

Hypnotherapist and Psychotherapist Joan Lee in Wombourne Clinic

Contact Joan

View Joan's Profile

Tel: 07434 776504

joan@tranceformpsychology.com

Contact Binder

View Binder's Profile

Tel: 07931 517241

binder@tranceformpsychology.com

Tranceform Psychology

E-mail Tranceform Psychology

Mobile Paul: 07434 776125
Mobile Joan: 07434 776504
Mobile Binder: 07438 389931

Self Directed CBT Programme Website: Tranceformental.com

Useful Links

Site Map

IAEBP Logo

Practice Location

Tranceform Psychology Counselling Clinic Wombourne

Maypole House, Yew Tree Court, Maypole Street, Wombourne, South Staffs, WV5 9JB.

Visit the Location Page.

what3words address: ///lakes.grain.claims

2023 Celebrating 14 Years providing mental health counselling in Wolverhampton, the West Midlands, Staffordshire & Shropshire.

© Tranceform Psychology Mental Health Services in Wolverhampton 2009 - 2023 | Website Design by Therapy Webs