Dr. Lester Summerfield, a clinical psychologist, is committed to helping you change negative thought patterns to positive ones to assist in managing your chronic pain.
Please review distorted thinking patterns 8-15 to learn which negative thoughts may contribute to your pain.
8. Fallacy of Fairness– You feel resentful because you think you know what’s fair, but other people won’t agree with you.
9. Blaming– You hold other people responsible for your pain, or take the other tack and blame yourself for every problem.
10. Shoulds– You have a list of ironclads rules about how you and other people should act. People who break the rules anger you, and you feel guilty if you violate the rules.
11. Emotional Reasoning– You believe that what you feel must be true- automatically. If you feel stupid or boring, then you must be stupid or boring.
12. Fallacies of Change– You expect that other people will change to suit you if you just pressure or cajole them enough. You nee to change people because your hopes for happiness seem to depend entirely on them.
13. Global Labeling– You generalize one or two qualities (in yourself or others) into a negative global judgment.
14. Being right– You feel continually on trial to prove that your opinions and actions are correct. Being wrong is unthinkable and you will go to any length to demonstrate your rightness.
15. Heaven’s Reward Fallacy– You expect all your sacrifice and self-denial to pay off, as if there were someone keeping score.
At PMIR Medical Center, our physicians are dedicated to addressing all underlying issues that may cause your pain and see the importance in incorporating complementary and alternative therapies, like cognitive behavioral therapy, into your treatment plan. If you have not done so, please review distorted thoughts 1-8 in our previous post.
Dr. Lester Summerfield, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist who has been in private practice in Conejo Valley since 1979. Dr. Summerfield has a Ph.D. in Professional Psychology, and a Masters degree in Counseling and Speech. He specializes in cognitive–behavioral therapy for anxiety, depression, pain management, addiction, and support for cancer patients or survivors. Office locations in Westlake Village, CA. Visit his website at www.lestersummerfield.com or call (805) 496-6992 to schedule an appointment.
Please visit Psych Central to learn more about the most common cognitive distortions. http://psychcentral.com/lib/15-common-cognitive-distortions/0002153
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