Hey everyone,
In today’s post on cognitive distortions, I’d like to cover the next one which is ‘should’ statements.
This is where a person attach themselves to fixed rules/expectations (that may not be rational) about what and how people should behave → [insert: I/You/They] [insert: should/must/need)]:
“I should always know what to do!”
“They should never treat me like that!”
Thus, ‘counter’ it by catching the next time you use ‘should’, recognise that it’s only valid when the statement is based on science, moral or legal claims; replace it with “Prefer”; ask, “Whose expectation this is?”:
“I prefer to know what to do in this situation”
“What action do I actually want to take to be the person I want to?”
Look out for the next post then! And feel free to share any questions that you might have about cognitive distortions too!