Thinking trap
Overgeneralising: what it is, with everyday examples
- Overgeneralising
- One event turns into “always” or “never”.
A single setback becomes a rule about the future. Words like “always”, “never”, “everyone” and “nothing” are the giveaway: they stretch one moment over every moment that came before and every one still to come.
Everyday examples
- With friends
“Nobody replied to my message. People never want to hear from me.”
- At work
“I got that wrong. I always get things wrong.”
- Dating
“That date went badly. I'll never meet anyone.”
Questions to check the thought
From the Socratic questions in ThinkGO. Pick one or two; you don’t need all of them.
- What points to this thought being true? What points the other way?
- Is this a fact, or a thought that feels like one?
- Will this still matter in 5 days? In 5 months? In 5 years?
A fairer alternative
The trap
“I always mess things up.”
A fairer thought
“This time didn't go well. Other times have, like last month's presentation.”
Exercises that help
Related thinking traps
Sources
- Beck, A. T. (1976). Cognitive Therapy and the Emotional Disorders. International Universities Press.
- Burns, D. D. (1980). Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy. William Morrow.
Background reading. The definitions, examples and questions on this page are our own wording.