Overcoming Negative Academic Self-Talk

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sometimes people think about themselves

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in ways that are exaggerated irrational

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distorted too black and white or too

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simplistic these thoughts are called

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cognitive

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distortions these thoughts are usually

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untrue and as a result they can have a

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negative impact on our emotions they can

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give us a negative sense of reality and

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pessimism about ourselves or life in

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general and sometimes cognitive

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distortions become so automatic that

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people start to believe them they may

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not even realize when they're having

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these thoughts we want to give you

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examples of distorted thinking and then

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share ways to overcome this kind of

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thinking our first cognitive distortion

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is discounting the positive this can

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happen in two main ways first is when

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someone thinks that good things happen

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to them because of luck rather than

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their own hard work effort or skills

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take a phrase like I was lucky on that

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exam grade looking at success in this

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way doesn't give you credit for the work

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that you put in it places all the glory

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of a good grade on circumstance like an

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easy test or an easy teacher instead of

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your effort the second way people might

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also discount the positive is if they

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only see the negative in a situation and

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ignore the positive

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aspects for example they may focus on

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one critical comment on a paper even

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though all the others were

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positive next is

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overgeneralization this is when people

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make broad sweeping conclusions and

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generalizations from a few

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events people may say I'm a terrible

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student after getting a bad grade on a

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single exam even though they're an

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otherwise good student third

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catastrophizing is when you only see the

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worst possible outcomes in a

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situation people might say I'm going to

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fail this class after getting a single

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bad grade when in reality they may have

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more chances to make up for this one low

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grade on other

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assignments number four is All or

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Nothing thinking this is when people see

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in extremes they may use words like

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always never or every a student might

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see their performance as either success

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or failure based on a single Factor like

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a negative comment on an essay or one

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mistake on an

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assignment five should statements may

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show up if people believe there's a

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certain way to be or a certain way to do

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things it's when they focus on things

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they haven't done but should rather than

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what they have done well six labeling is

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when someone reduces themself to a single

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label they might say that they're lazy

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or a bad student or not smart and even

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if someone doesn't believe they're lazy

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all the time using this label in certain

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key moments like after a test can still

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do harm seventh personalization means

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taking things personally or feeling like

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something is their responsibility when

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it really it's not for example someone

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might think an instructor doesn't call

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on them because she doesn't like them or

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if a teammate is worried about a group

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project they might assume it's because

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their work isn't good enough when really

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there could be many other

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explanations finally mind reading is

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when people assume they know what others

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are thinking like if someone answers a

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question wrong in class they believe

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everyone thinks they're not

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smart sometimes our distorted thought

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patterns become so automatic that people

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start to believe them they may not even

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realize when they are having these

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thoughts so the first step in overcoming

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these cognitive distortions is to

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recognize it when it happens try to

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catch yourself in the act and name which

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Distortion you've just

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used the next step is to find new ways

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of thinking about yourself or the

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situation we'll share seven strategies

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but maybe start by thinking of one

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cognitive distortion and then choose one

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or two strategies that feel the best to

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you and remember to give yourself credit

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for trying we know this isn't

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easy number one if you have a thought

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like I'm a terrible student start a

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debate with

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yourself what does terrible mean

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terrible compared to who terrible all

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the time or one time really taking a

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closer look at your words might surprise

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you you may end up seeing more positives

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you may choose more accurate and Kinder

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words and you may feel less

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demoralized strategy two

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sometimes our selft talk is Harsh and

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what if instead we talk to ourselves

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like we talk to a friend with more

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compassion and

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caring so try holding yourself to the

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same standard you hold anyone else use

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the same kinds of words and give

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yourself the same encouragement and

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understanding as you would a

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friend number three when you catch

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yourself in a cognitive distortion try

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to evaluate things on a scale of zero to

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100 someone might think I just blew that

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entire presentation because I stumbled

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over that question at the end but really

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that moment of stumbling represented

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about 1% of the total presentation that

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otherwise went

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well four if you tell yourself you

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should do something it can feel strict

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and harsh it can bring about guilt and

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shame instead give yourself a new phrase

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like I'll try to or it would be nice if

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and instead of I'm lazy you might say I

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feel less motivated with this type of

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work so I'll find ways to motivate

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myself when I have to do it or add a

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positive phrase to the beginning like

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I'm a good student who happened to get a

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B minus on that

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test number five test whether your

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thoughts are rational or irrational like

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a scientist would if you're putting off

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studying because it's too hard or takes

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too long test your

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assumptions if you break it up and

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start with one chapter or concept does

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it still feel too hard if you schedule a

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little each day does it still take too

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much time or if you feel like you don't

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belong because other students didn't

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invite you to join a study group what if

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you reached out to a few other students

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about meeting up to

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study maybe not everyone will say yes

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but some people might supporting the

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notion that people do like you six if

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you want to double check the rationality

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of your thoughts thoughts check in with

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a trusted friend to see what they think

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at the root of many distortions is the

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worry that something is wrong with you

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it seems hard to make friends is

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something wrong with me I didn't get the

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grade I want is something wrong with me

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this should be easier for me what is my

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problem but if you asked a friend if

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they think there's something wrong with

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you they'll probably say of course not

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they'll bring up a more objective

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perspective that will help you see the

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whole picture they might offer you other

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possible explanations for what's going

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on and help to remind you of your

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strengths and

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accomplishments in other words an

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outside view can help you reset your

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thoughts about yourself in a way that's

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more realistic and less distorted last

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up is

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reattribution with many distortions we

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blame ourselves even when it's not our

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fault with reattribution you can look at

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other factors that may explain a

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situation like what other factors may

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explain why the instructor didn't call

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on me what other reasons might my

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partner have have for being quiet the

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goal is to challenge your assumptions

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and keep your mind open so you don't

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blame yourself or inadvertently

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create a self-fulfilling prophecy