Biased Thinking

Mike Nistor Therapies presents

Biased thinking

Start

Identifying Biased Thinking

There are several stages to facing anxiety and negative thinking - the first important step is self-awareness. For now - can you keep a brief log ? Can we identify when you are rightly critical of yourself or when you are overly so ? Even if we acknowldge a fair critic- is the language you use fair to you ? Would you say it to a friend ?

Biased thinking is a way of thinking that combines biased perception (noticing faults over merits) and biased interpretation (always looking on the down side). .

It creates a bottom line belief that "I am not good enough"

Negative thinking is maintained by the process above.

But remember - thinking in this way is an opinion not a fact !

+ info

Know your types of negative thinking...

Overgeneralising

All or Nothing Thinking

+ info

+ info

Mental Filtering

I am always right ! (weird I know...)

+ info

+ info

Mind Reading

Catastrophising

+ info

+ info

Alternative self talk

or this

with this

Replace this column

Don't need to please all

Nobody likes me

Some like me some don't

I will figure it out

I can't do it

I have a bit of trouble

My best is enough

I am doing my best

I will never get it right

I do get frustrated sometimes but...

Most people feel incompetent some days

I am so stupid

Why should you ?

Says who?

I should...(this or that)

'Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Negative thoughts were also created by repetition - now let's change the narrative.'

Mike Nistor - winter 2026.

Homework !

Can you work on:

• identifying Your Biased thinking
• practice some alternative Dialogue

This is a form of black-and-white thinking in which you may see events, feelings, and reactions without understanding the nuances of people’s actions and emotions.

This refers to people who perceive opinions as facts. Perfectionists and people with impostor syndrome sometimes have difficulty accepting a difference in opinion (i.e. we're shit and we know we are... :) )

Ok now what ?...

Biased thinking is like discriminating....againt yourself! We can improve this by developing self-awareness, experimenting and ultimately re-thinking exercises.

Focusing on the negative parts of an event while disqualifying the positive aspects

Inferring others’ negative thoughts, even when they are unspoken or unlikely to exist at all, is like trying to read minds. This can also lead to fortune telling, in which someone predicts (usually negative) outcomes that are unlikely to occur..

Creating false patterns out of standalone events, thus making faulty generalizations from insufficient evidence.

Catastrophizing gives disproportionate weight to the worst possible outcome, no matter how slim the odds are of such an outcome.