Cognitive Distortions

What are Cognitive Distortions?

And how can we try to reduce them?


“Nobody likes me.”

 “I just failed that exam. I am such a failure in life.”

“I can’t trust anyone; everyone is going to end up hurting me.”

Credit: Just Passing Time

Do these thoughts sound familiar to you?

They are all prime examples of cognitive distortions – thought patterns that can cause you to perceive yourself, others, and the world in inaccurate and negative ways!

Cognitive distortions are habitual errors in thinking and most of us experience them from time to time. Although we develop these cognitive distortions to help cope with adverse life events, these thoughts might not be rational nor healthy for us in the long-term, as they can increase the risk for anxiety, depression, and other relationship difficulties.

Understanding Cognitive Distortions: A Comprehensive Guide

The different types of cognitive distortions

There are at least 10 different types of cognitive distortions we experience. These include:

1. All-or-nothing thinking


“If I am not a total success, I am a failure.”

Also known as “polarised” or “black-and-white” thinking, all-or-nothing thinking occurs when we habitually think in extremes, viewing a situation in only two categories instead of on a continuum.

This kind of cognitive distortion is unrealistic and often unhelpful for us because most of the time, reality exists somewhere between the two extremes.

2. Catastrophizing

“I stuttered so much during the job interview, I must surely be rejected. I will never be able to get a job.”

Also called “fortune-telling”, catastrophizing involves assuming the worst when faced with uncertainties, predicting the future negatively without considering other, more likely outcomes. When we catastrophize, ordinary worries can quickly escalate.

While it is easy to dismiss catastrophizing as an over-reaction, people who have developed this cognitive distortion may have experienced repeated adverse life events, such as childhood trauma, so regularly that they have learnt to fear the worst in many situations as a coping strategy.

3. Disqualifying or discounting the positive

“I might have scored well on that exam, but that does not mean I am competent; I just got lucky.”

A negative bias in thinking, you unreasonably tell yourself that your positive experiences, achievements, or qualities do not count, explaining them away as a fluke or abnormality. When we do this often and believe that we have no control over our circumstances, this thinking can diminish our motivation and cultivate a sense of “learned helplessness”.

4. Emotional Reasoning

“I feel like a failure, therefore I must be a failure, otherwise why would I feel this way?”

Emotional reasoning is the false belief that your emotions are the truth, and they are an accurate depiction of reality, whilst ignoring or dismissing evidence that suggests the contrary. Although it is important to listen to, validate and express your emotions, it is equally crucial to judge reality based on factual evidence! This is a common cognitive distortion even amongst people without anxiety or depression.

5. Labeling

“Since she arrived late, she must be a lazy and irresponsible person.”

You put a fixed, global label on yourself or others without considering that the evidence might more reasonably lead to a less negative conclusion. This often happens when you judge and then define yourself or others based on an isolated event. The labels assigned are usually negative and extreme.

Assigning labels to others can impact how you interact with them. This, in turn, could create friction in your relationships. When you assign those labels to yourself, it can also hurt your self-esteem and confidence, leading you to feel insecure and anxious.

6. Magnification / Minimization

“Getting a mediocre evaluation just proves how inadequate I am.” -- Magnification

“Getting high marks doesn’t mean I’m smart.” -- Minimization

Have you heard the popular phrase, “Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill?” Well, there is a reason why many often do that! When you evaluate yourself, another person, or a situation, you might unreasonably magnify the negative and/or minimize the positive.

7. Mental Filter

Is the glass of water half full or half empty?

“Because I got one low rating on my evaluation [which also contained several high ratings], it means I’m not performing good enough.”

Mental filter is also known as selective abstraction when you dwell excessively on one negative detail instead of seeing the whole picture. Even if there are more positive aspects than negative in a situation or person, you focus on the negatives exclusively. Interpreting circumstances using a negative mental filter is not only inaccurate, but it can also worsen anxiety and depression symptoms. There is research that having a negative perspective of yourself and your future can cause feelings of hopelessness. These thoughts can become extreme enough to even trigger suicidal thoughts.

8. Mind Reading

“What a grim expression he has! I must have done something bad to offend him! This must be why he seemed so distant from me nowadays.”

Also known as “jumping to conclusions”, mind reading involves you believing that you know what others are thinking or feeling, while failing to consider other evidence or more likely possibilities. Then, you react to your assumption. This thinking error is often in response to a persistent thought or concern of yours.

9. Overgeneralization

“Because I felt so uncomfortable and awkward during the meeting, I don’t have what it takes to make friends. Oh no, I am destined to be alone!”

When we overgeneralize, we tend to make a negative conclusion about one event and then incorrectly apply that conclusion across other different situations in the future. Overgeneralisation is associated with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other anxiety disorders.

10. Personalisation

“My parents are fighting again. It’s all my fault.”

One of the most common thinking errors is taking things personally when they are not connected to or caused by you at all. You might be engaging in personalisation when you blame yourself for negative circumstances that are not your fault or are beyond your control. Another instance is when you incorrectly believe you have been intentionally excluded or targeted, without considering more plausible explanations for others’ behaviours. This distortion is associated with heightened anxiety and depression.

11. “Should” and “Must” statements

“It’s unacceptable that I was late – I should always be on time.”

These imperatives are subjective ironclad rules you set for yourself and others without considering the specifics of a circumstance. You have a precise, fixed idea of how you or others should or must behave with no exceptions, and you overestimate how bad it is that these expectations are not met. Yet when circumstances change, and things do not happen the way you want them to – they really depend on many factors – you feel extremely disappointed, angry, or upset.

12. Tunnel Vision

“My life sucks. I have the worst life.”

Just like being in a dark, isolated tunnel, you only see the negative aspects of a situation when you have tunnel vision.

How to reduce cognitive distortions: A guide


Remember that it’s often not the events but your thoughts that upset you in many instances. You might not be able to change the events, but you can work on redirecting your thoughts!

What do you see these thinking errors as having in common? Does it strike you that a common thread among these distorted automatic thoughts is the failure to take in all known information and to explore realistic outcomes based on evidence? 

The good news is that cognitive distortions can be corrected over time. Here are some steps you can take if you want to change thought patterns that may not be helpful.

Steps to Identify and Challenge Distorted Thoughts

Ψ Identify the distorted thought: the first step to change

  • When you notice your self-talk is causing you anxiety or worsening your mood, you can practise mindfulness and recognise what kind of cognitive distortion is taking place.

Ψ Conduct a reality check

  • Ask yourself if your thoughts are really accurate and check if there is any existing evidence that supports or contradicts it.

Ψ Reframing the situation

  • Look for alternative explanations, objective evidence, and shades of grey to broaden your interpretations.

  • It might also be helpful to create a thought record by writing down your original thought, followed by three or four alternative explanations based on the evidence available to challenge the cognitive distortions.

  • Example: Instead of thinking “I have a miserable life since all my plans are ruined”, try reframing your thoughts to “It’s okay; it’s just a bad day, not a bad life. Plans change and I can adapt.”

Ψ Putting things in perspective

  • Even if your negative thoughts about yourself, others or the situation are accurate, ask yourself if it will still be important in the grand scheme of things, and whether it will matter a week or month from now. Chances are, they most likely won’t.

Ψ Perform a cost-benefit analysis of your thoughts

  • Behaviours are often reinforced and repeated when they are perceived to be beneficial in some way.

  • If you find yourself often engaging in cognitive distortions, you might find it helpful to analyse how your thinking patterns have helped you cope in the past. Do they invoke a sense of control in situations where you feel helpless? Or do they allow you to avoid taking responsibility or necessary risks?

  • You can also identify the potential costs are of engaging in cognitive distortions. Weighing the pros and cons of your distorted thinking might motivate you to replace them with more balanced, positive thoughts.

Ψ The role of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

  • What is CBT? CBT is an evidence-based psychotherapy where people learn to identify, challenge and change unhealthy thinking patterns. If you need additional guidance in identifying and altering cognitive distortions, then you may find CBT helpful.

  • CBT usually focuses on specific goals. It generally takes place for a predetermined number of sessions and may take a few weeks to a few months to see results.

  • You may consider looking for a therapist who is properly certified and trained in CBT, and ideally has experience addressing your type of thinking pattern or issue.

In summary, cognitive distortions are negative thinking patterns that impact how you see yourself and others. When our thoughts are distorted, our emotions are, too. By becoming aware and redirecting these negative thoughts, you can significantly improve your mood and quality of life.

Reach out to a mental health professional if you need additional help!

Self-Love

What is self-love?

How do we achieve self-love?

Self-love, or even love itself, is hard to define. There is no universal definition, and we probably define and experience self-love differently. How you achieve self-love is also unique! One way to understand self-love is from a psychological standpoint, where self-love refers to an authentic appreciation for yourself.

Self-love vs. Narcissism: What is the Difference?

We generally associate narcissism with a significant level of perceived self-appreciation. While narcissistic tendencies are typically observed during interpersonal interactions, practising self-love can be a private and internal process that is unobservable to others. The primary goal with self-love is to develop a positive self-concept. Whereas with narcissism, the goal might be to gain external admiration or regard. Another defining feature of narcissism is the perceived lack of awareness or care for others’ thoughts and feelings. Comparatively, a person who is self-loving can still be caring and compassionate. 

How to Avoid Narcissism While Practicing Self-Love: The Mediating Role of Humilty, Kindness and Forgiveness

To avoid becoming narcissistic, routinely remind yourself of personal core values like humility, kindness, or forgiveness. Additionally, keep in mind the type of person you aspire to be and aim to mould yourself into that person. Your values will help prevent any grandiosity or inflated self-esteem. 

You might not be aware of it, but you may already be practising some acts of self-love. These acts demonstrate a sincere appreciation or recognition for yourself or something you did. For example, patting yourself on the back when setting boundaries, forgiving yourself when you fail to accomplish a task or even just challenging thoughts of self-doubt.

Is self-love really necessary? When do I need to start incorporating self-love practices in my routine?

There are certain times in life when practising self-love could be an important coping strategy for your mental well-being. This is particularly so when your inner critic is being overly harsh, in need of a mood booster, or if you are struggling with your self-esteem. When your internal dialogue is critical and negative, practising some self-love could help lift your spirits.

Psychological tips on increasing self-love:

Ψ Identify unhelpful self-judgment

Unhelpful habits refer to excessive, unsustainable or even counterintuitive patterns of thought or behaviour. Some criticism is commonly believed to be motivation to work harder or do better, but it is imperative to stop yourself from going too far. Excessive or disproportionate criticism and self-judgement can pave the way to unhealthy cognitive distortions, or even lead to self-loathing.

The first step towards self-love is to recognise when you are being too self-critical. When you call yourself a failure, belittle yourself or beat yourself up over mistakes, catch yourself in these moments and just pause. Are you being too harsh on yourself? If your friend behaved similarly, would you feel the same way about them as you do about yourself now? Are you catastrophizing? Is the criticism an honest representation of who you are? These are some questions to ask yourself to combat self-judgment.

Ψ Mindfulness to foster self-love

Another alternative to hitting pause on self-criticism would be mindfulness. Practising mindfulness regularly could potentially change unforgiving internal dialogue to be more nonjudgmental and curious. Mindfulness teaches you to be more fully present at any given moment. It guides you in approaching your internal or external experiences with curiosity and openness. You learn to just notice, rather than react. For some guided mindfulness practices curated by our own psychologists, click here. 

Ψ Cultivating self-compassion for greater self-love

Can you truly love yourself without some self-compassion? The point here is not to debate which is more vital, but rather to emphasise the connection betwee self-compassion and self-love. When you are kind to yourself, you let go of shortcomings. You may not be truly appreciative, but you learn to accept and forgive failures rather than holding grudges with yourself. This is a step closer to growing appreciation for yourself, even if you cannot see it yet. Some common self-compassion practices to boost self-love include loving kindness practices, curated mantras with self-affirmations, guided meditation exercises and keeping a self-compassion journal.
 

Ψ Discovering your core values to enhance self-love

Learning more about yourself and the personal values that you cherish can increase some self-appreciation, especially when you behave or make decisions in line with your values. There are surveys online like the values in action (VIA) survey which can aid you in identifying your core values. Hence, discovering your core values can help to enhance self-appreciation.

Another way of learning your strengths or core values is to just ask your loved ones. Those who are closest to you may understand you more than you think, and you may discover sides of yourself you never knew existed.

Combating negative self-talk for better wellbeing

Knowing how to love ourselves and be appreciative can be hard, especially in competitive environments that constantly compare us to others. Overtime, we may have learnt to internalise words of those around us, even when they do not necessarily have our best interests at heart. To combat this, forming a healthy internal dialogue and relationship with ourselves is essential to support our well-being. Hopefully, the tips above would guide you and eventually lead you to develop some genuine self-love.

Self-forgiveness

We are human, after all


The Importance of Self-Forgiveness for Mental Well-Being

Have you ever felt guilty about something you have done in the past? You may have offended someone or hurt their feelings, made bad decisions that harmed others, or did something you knew was wrong.

Oftentimes, when we feel guilty, we may end up engaging in self-defeating behaviors, such as believing we are not worthy of love or trust, lowered self esteem or in some cases even develop affective disorders. Ruminating on feelings of guilt, anger and shame can have negative consequences on one’s mental and physical health.

Understanding why guilt and shame affect us

Feelings of guilt, anger, and shame can be very intense, which causes the nervous system to be on high alert, pumping high levels of adrenaline into our body. Sustained surges of adrenaline over an extend period of time can lead to psychological disorders such as anxiety or depression. It may also manifest in physical symptoms, such as panic attacks, chest pains, headaches, muscle tension, stomach or digestive problems.

In order to manage these negative feelings, self-forgiveness is crucial to maintaining our psychological and physical well being. But first…

What is self-forgiveness?

Self-forgiveness a positive attitudinal shift in feelings, actions and beliefs about self, following a self-perceived wrongdoing committed by the self.

However, forgiveness is not a straightforward or easy task, so what are some steps we could take?


Steps to Manage Negative Feelings Through Self-Forgiveness

Ψ Accepting Responsibility: The First Step to Self-Forgiveness


The first step is accepting responsibility. If you find yourself making excuses, rationalising or justifying your behaviour in order to make them seem more acceptable, it may be time to accept responsibility. This may include taking responsibility for the hurt you may have caused others, or actions you may have taken that you regret.

Accepting responsibility is not the same as forgetting or moving on as if nothing happened, neither is it the same as punishing yourself for your bad decisions and wallowing in shame. Accepting responsibility is about accepting what happened and showing compassion to yourself. Self-compassion means treating your self-worth as unconditional, that is giving yourself the love, care and concern you need whenever you’re going through a tough time.

It is important to understand that we are not perfect, and to be tolerant of our shortcomings because we are all human.

Ψ Understanding Guilt


Guilt is important and normal. Feeling bad about something bad we did is natural and can even helpful at times. For instance, guilt serves as motivation for us to do better next time. However, shame, which involves negative feelings about self such as feelings of worthlessness, is often associated with defensive strategies such as avoidance, denial or even physical violence. Shame may cause you to feel like you’re a bad person at the core, undermining your efforts to self-improvement or self-forgiveness. Shame-based thinking is a core belief that colors our world-view, and perpetuates self-defeating thoughts. One way we can break free from this negative pattern is by challenging your shame-based thoughts.

Some questions you can ask yourself are:

  • How do I know it’s true?

  • What proof do I have that supports this claim?

  • What experiences do I have that show that this belief is not completely true all the time?

  • Is this thought helpful or hurtful?

Guilt, on the other hand, may help us realise that our actions were bad, but that doesn’t make you a bad person. Therefore expressing remorse is an important step in making amends.




Ψ Restoring Trust: Actions to Move Past Guilt

One way to move past your guilt is by taking actions to restore the trust lost. This is not only important when it comes to forgiveness to others, but also to yourself. Making amends to the self is about taking concrete actions to right the wrong (whether it be to others or yourself). One way we could do that is by apologizing to the party we have hurt. For an apology to be sincere, it has to:

  1. Acknowledge the hurt caused

  2. Admit that your actions were wrong

  3. Explain why you regret it

  4. Describe what you would have done differently in the future so that it does not happen again


Navigating the Journey of Self-Forgiveness

It is important to be able to recognise when you should take responsibility, versus when things are beyond your control. We should be mindful to not over attribute blame on ourselves in situations we have no control of, especially in cases of abuse, trauma or loss. Lastly, if you find yourself struggling to forgive yourself, individual counseling may help.

Remember: Bad Actions Don’t Make You a Bad Person

it merely means that you made some bad choices.

Self-forgiveness does not have a one size fits all approach, and is different for everyone.

Self-forgiveness is not easy and we may slip up at times. And that’s okay, that’s normal. Try not to beat yourself up about it. Progress is not linear nor will everything go smoothly during the first try – so try again.  So have empathy for yourself, and work towards being a better person one step at a time!

Burnout: The Secret Ingredient

Why Some People Get Burnt Out While Others Don’t

Do you dread going to work and feel exhausted by it?
Do you think that you are unable to perform at work?
Have you become more cynical or critical at work? 

If your answer to any of these questions is a “yes”, you might be experiencing burnout. These are the three dimensions characterizing burnout in an occupational context.

Burnout is not a psychological disorder, but an occupational phenomenon that negatively affects a person emotionally, physically, and mentally due to chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.

Burnout affects 37% of Singaporeans in the working world. People working in high-intensity and emotionally taxing jobs, such as healthcare and law, are more susceptible to experiencing burnout. So what causes burnout to occur? 

Factors that can lead to burnout:

  • Work-life imbalance  

  • Perceived lack of control in job-related decisions 

  • Dysfunctional workplace dynamic  

  • Lack of social support from family and friends 

  • Unrealistic expectations from higher-ups 

  • Lack of recognition for work done 

  • Long working hours  

“I’m burnt out, so what? So is everyone else right?”

Job burnout has significant consequences on both our physical and mental health, e.g. increased vulnerability to illnesses, alcohol or substance misuse, insomnia, and depressive symptoms. Professional consequences such as job satisfaction and absenteeism may arise as well. These consequences have detrimental impacts on our lives and it ought to be taken seriously. Burnout is unlikely to resolve by itself and will only worsen if it is not addressed. It can last from weeks to even years! Therefore, we should take active steps to prevent burnout or address burnout as soon as possible and seek help whenever needed.

Everyone experiences stress at various points in our lives and we know that stress often leads to burnout. If that’s the case, why doesn’t everyone experience burnout? Why do some people get burnt out while others do not?

The secret ingredient is emotional intelligence (EI).


Emotional intelligence is the ability to control the emotions of oneself and others, to distinguish them from each other, and to apply this information to guide one’s own thinking and action. Research has shown that people with high EI tend to better cope with stress and achieve individual success, thereby preventing burnouts, while people with low EI are more likely to experience burnouts.

Understanding Burnout: The Role of Emotional Intelligence and How it Helps Prevent Burnout

1. The ability to accurately perceive, assess, and express emotions 

Being self-aware of your emotions helps in understanding the sources of your feelings, attitudes, and rationales, as well as their effect on others. This will enhance your ability to seek different responses and avoid pent-up negative emotions that would lead to burnouts.  

2. Using emotions to enhance cognitive processes

Changing our perspective of a situation can help relieve stress as we see a troubling issue as just a problem to solve. Directing our negative emotions such as anxiety and frustration into problem-solving mode rather than allowing the situation to affect us during and after work will prevent us from feeling stressed up constantly. The ability to think before you act in an emotional event would allow you to find suitable solutions more quickly and apply emotional resources reasonably, thus minimizing the possibility of failure. 

3. The power of empathy 

Empathy enables us to recognize, understand, and care about others and their emotional reactions. As we experience the world through others’ perspectives, we enhance our ability to gain trust and influence others. This means that we are likely to find the help we need when our stress level gets out of hand.

4. Regulating emotions to manage stress and preven burnout.

Adjusting our perception of the work environment and the emotional stimuli from the environment enable us to remain calm, control impulses, and behave appropriately under stress. This prevents us from acting rashly or making any impulse decisions. Some people can even regulate the intensity and duration of certain emotional experiences to accomplish what they want to achieve.

“Well, I understand that emotional intelligence is important, but what should I do to cope with burnout? What can I do to manage my emotions?”

Fret not, we’ve got some advicefor you!

Practical Tips to Manage Stress and Avoid Burnout:

Ψ Be kind to yourself: reducing self-imposed pressure

We often put immense pressure on ourselves to do better at work or to seem productive at all times, especially for those who have high expectations of themselves. Many times we overthink or become anxious for situations that have yet to come or might not even happen at all. We understand that sometimes we can't help but place high levels of stress on ourselves, especially in a society that places a great emphasis on performance and to always be prepared. However, it is equally important to treat yourself kindly. We should strive to strike a balance between performance and our well-being. Performance is important, but without you, there can be no performance. We should celebrate our small victories and milestones, not be afraid to take breaks whenever necessary and practice mindfulness when we catch ourselves overthinking or being anxious, as we continue to work hard through our journey. 

Ψ Embracing mindfulness to combat burnout

Engaging in mindfulness practices is proven to reduce anxiety and relieve stress, and is increasingly used to reduce the risk of burnouts. Here is an example of a mindfulness activity that you can practice for a few minutes each day: To stay focused on your breath flow, and be fully aware of your senses and feelings at the moment. This can be hard at first, but practice makes perfect! This practice would allow us to face situations with an open mind and remain calm, fully aware of our thoughts and emotions so as to act rationally and come up with suitable solutions.

Ψ Know your limits, managing workload effectively

It is important to know how much workload you can take on just like knowing how much you can eat in a meal. You can get indigestion if you eat too much and similarly, you will suffer consequences when you overestimate your abilities. Discuss with your supervisor to reach a compromisation of work to be done and expectations to be met, or seek help if the demands are beyond your capabilities. Set goals and to-do lists based on the urgency and important matrix to avoid being overwhelmed with work all the time.  

Ψ Change your perspective of the situation

Do you perceive the situation to negatively impact the things that you value? Or do you see it as just another problem to solve at work? Reevaluating your perspective to determine whether you are feeling distress or eustress can greatly influence your stress level. An issue that causes you to be stressed out at work can be seen as a challenge to improve yourself that should not bother you after work. 

Ψ Seek social support to overcome burnout

Don’t hesitate to ask for help when you need it! Reach out to any of your family members, friends, or co-workers whenever you feel overwhelmed. The support you can get from them might just be what you need to pull through. If your company provides an employee assistance program, don’t be afraid to take advantage of such services. You may also wish to seek professional help with one of our clinical psychologists to help cope with your burnouts or any other issues you have affecting your mental health!

You are not alone. Annabelle Psychology is home to Care for Yourself™ - an employer-funded Employee Assistance Program. This program provides employees and managers with access to counselling and psychological services based in Singapore to help them manage personal and work-based issues. For more information, click here.

Instagram Therapy

Is it Therapy?

Is Instagram therapy enough?

It is important to first clarify is that “Instagram therapy” is not a form of psychotherapy. In fact, it is not “therapy” at all!

What is Psychotherapy?

Psychotherapy requires committed engagement with trained psychologists who utilise evidence-based techniques and approaches to investigate a mental health concern and work with the client collaboratively to reduce or minimise the impairment or impact of the mental health concern. Therapy must be specific and customised as no two persons are completely alike; we each have unique life experiences and circumstances.

Psychotherapy vs. Instagram Therapy

This means that the content or engagement published on Instagram or Facebook should not be regarded as therapy. At best, such content should be regarded as a type of psychoeducational content.

And as with all other kinds of purported educational content, we must think about how the content is delivered and whether they are credible or helpful.

According to the internet, there are roughly 1 billion users on Instagram, 1.2 billion users on Tik Tok, and 2.9 billion users on Facebook. Social media has become a ubiquitous medium for content consumption that can be harnessed for a good cause.

But not everything you read might be applicable or useful, or worse, true.

Navigating Instagram Therapy: Differentiating Psychoeducation from Professional Help

Many users of social media use these platforms to follow or create interesting content, advance personal or professional goals, or associate with like-minded people. It should come as no surprise that content creators want to create content that users want to consume, focusing on the usual metrics of increasing likes and followers or monetising their followers. There is a ton of mental health information that is shared online every day, often by self-proclaimed experts with little experience, research, or actual clinical practice, often with the aim of gaining followers or likes.

Over time, many come to rely on these celebrity psychologists for their ‘daily dose’ and mistaking that as a connection with the psychologist on some level, or worse, regarding that content as online or group therapy.

Some say that mental health channels on social media are like self-help books: addictive, unhelpful, and designed to keep you coming back for more.

It is against this backdrop that we should analyse mental health information that we consume on the Internet.

So when you next scroll through the pages of your favourite Instagram Therapists or Psychologists, please bear these in mind:

Ψ Is the content from a reliable source?
Ψ What are the factors motivating the content creator to produce this content?
Ψ Does this person spend more time on clinical practice or on social media?

Social Media Ethics in Mental Health

It is important to note that:

Ψ Social media is not a substitute for therapy.

  • Reading mental health information online can help you understand or learn something about yourself, but it is not a replacement for formal therapy.

Ψ No therapy can be done over social media.

  • While well-meaning psychologists might create content to psychoeducate the general public, others blindly produce or reproduce material to attract likes and followers with the intention of aggressively promoting their services.

Ψ Social media should not be relied upon during a crisis.

  • Mental health content should be viewed purely for what they are – generic, non-specific and informational in nature that serves a vital psychoeducational purpose within the community.

  • Because non-mental health professionals are very likely the target audience of such psychoeducational material, it must go without saying that psychologists and other mental health professionals should abide by regulatory, professional, and ethical guidelines when dispensing mental health information whether on online or during clinical practice.

Psychology on Social Media: A Tool for Destigmatizing Mental Health Issues

When presented responsibly, psychologists on social media help to break the stigma associated with mental health. They break down complex mental health conditions into digestible bite chunks for any person with a smart device to consume. They explain difficult psychological disorders and concepts with infographics, animation, and beautiful pictures. The amount of useful information that is put out by some of these professionals who have dedicated years of their lives to acquire their knowledge and expertise is staggering.

And of course, some are visually beautiful presented and simply a delight to consume.

Keep calm and scroll on!

 

Annabelle

Recognising Suicide Risk

Recognising Suicide Risk, Protecting Human Lives

What are the signs associated with suicide risk?

Sucide Rates in Singapore

In Singapore, suicide is among the leading cause of death among the younger population aged 10 to 29. In fact, there has been a rising trend of suicide, with the reported figure of 397 in 2018 being a 10% increase from 2017. This figure is 2.8 times higher than the number of transport accidents in the same year.

What are the warning signs of suicide?

As concerned family and friends, we must be attuned to some of the signs associated with increased suicide risk:

Ψ Health Conditions: 



People with chronic or terminal illnesses, as well as mental health conditions, may experience a sense of hopelessness about their life and future. Hence, those with physical and mental health conditions are at a higher risk of suicide. 





Ψ Situational Stressors: 



People who are going through difficult and stressful events, such as divorce, unemployment, imprisonment, or exposure to violence and death, are at a higher risk for suicide. These events may also place the individuals at a higher risk for developing psychological disorders that could affect their perception and further heighten their suicide risk.

On top of that, people with a history of substance abuse, physical or sexual abuse, social isolation, and past suicide attempts are also at a higher risk for suicide. 





Ψ Verbal Cues: 



Regardless of what you may think about suicide threats, never take them lightly. When someone you know says that they don’t want to live anymore, it should be taken as a warning sign. 

The following are other common verbal cues associated with clinical depression and suicidal ideation to look out for: 

  • Using more first-person pronouns (e.g., I, me, myself): This is reflective of someone who is focused inwardly, which is typically observed in people with high awareness and experience of psychological pain. 

  • Using more absolute terms (e.g., always, never): People who are clinically depressed tend to hold a black-and-white (or all-or-nothing) thinking pattern, suggesting impaired judgement and reasoning. 

  • Speech characterised by guilt and self-blame, isolation and loneliness, as well as feeling tired, trapped and being a burden: When someone is experiencing a lot of pain, each day may seem like a recurrence of the one before and they can find it increasingly difficult to get by as they are unable to break out of the negative loop. 





Ψ Behavioural Signs: 



Take note if you notice someone you know starting to withdraw from others, neglect their physical appearance or lose interest in activities that they used to find pleasure in. People who have thoughts of suicide also typically give away their treasured possessions, or make a conscious effort to visit their family members and close friends out of the blue. These are common signs of suicide preparations, such as having closure or saying goodbye to loved ones. Other forms of suicide preparations include writing a will, researching on suicide methods, or writing a suicide note. 

Understanding suicidal ideation and suicide attempts

Numerous studies have found that: 

  1. Most individuals who have suicidal ideation have mixed feelings about suicide; and 

  2. They may seek help before a suicide attempt. 

As such, we are able to intervene before a suicide attempt is made.

How Do I Help Someone Who Is Suicidal? 

Contrary to popular belief, talking about suicide will not increase suicidal thoughts, or put the thought of suicide in their heads. In fact, speaking about suicide helps individuals know that there are people who are concerned about them, and who would want to support and help. 

Granted, many of us are uncomfortable with the topic of suicide and we may not know how best to start a conversation about it. How then can you help someone who is suicidal?

Here are some helpful tips when talking about suicide: 

  • Invite the troubled individual to talk about their difficulties and listen without judgement. Withhold the urge to problem-solve or give quick solutions. Remember, they are not looking for advice.

  • Check on what the troubled individual have been doing to cope, and what resources they have available. 

  • Ask directly: “Are you having thoughts of suicide?” 

    • If they are, encourage them to seek immediate help. For example, they can contact the 24-hr suicide hotline provided by the Samaritans of Singapore (SOS). 

    • If they are not, do still encourage them to seek help from professionals, such as counsellors or psychologists. Offer your support by sourcing for suitable services together, or even accompanying them for their appointments. 

Singapore’s decision to decriminalise suicide attempt from 1 January 2020 was widely applauded as a move to support, rather than prosecute, people who are so overwhelmed by their difficulties that they attempt suicide. Indeed, when it comes to suicide prevention, much can be done to promote mental health awareness and encourage help-seeking. We can start by doing our part to support the people around us, and helping to protect the precious lives of those we love. 

Supporting Someone who has Been Abused

What is Abuse?

How can I help someone who is being abused?

Abuse refers to any forms of violent, cruel or demeaning acts against another person or animal to cause harm or distress.  

Types of Abuse 

“Physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse… that should be about it right?”

There are actually many more types of abuse than we think. There are at least 5 different types of abuse. The different types of abuse can be further subdivided according to: 

Ψ The nature of the abuse (e.g. physical, emotional, financial, or sexual)
Ψ The demographic of the victims (e.g. elderly, children, or intimate partners) 

Here are some types of abuse and the warning signs you should look out for.

Physical Abuse 

What are the signs?  

Some signs of physical abuse include sustaining physical injuries and wounds (e.g. battered faces, bruises, or cuts). In more serious cases, one can have broken bones, internal bleeding, or even punctures. More subtle signs include the perpetuator not allowing anyone to visit the victim, or isolating the victim, to prevent others from knowing about the abuse. 

What is physical abuse?  

Physical abuse refers to causing bodily injury to others intentionally. Bodily injuries can be inflicted by any violent acts such as kicking, hitting, scalding, strangling, choking, pushing, or slapping the victim.  

Physical abuse is often associated with domestic abuse or child abuse where battered partner or children find it difficult to break free from helplessness and passivity.

Emotional Abuse

What are the signs?  

Signs of emotional abuse include intimidation, manipulation, humiliation, criticism, name-calling, blaming, false accusations and trivializing of one’s concerns. Victims can also show signs of emotional agitation, excessive self-consciousness, social withdrawal or anxiety, and non-responsiveness to the perpetuator.

As seen from the examples above, verbal abuse is usually intertwined greatly with emotional abuse, whereby words are used to hurt someone emotionally. Other forms of non-verbal emotional abuse include neglect, love withdrawal and silent treatment.  

What is emotional abuse?  

Emotional abuse is often also called psychological or mental abuse.  

Emotional abuse refers to non-physical abusive behaviors that are aimed at undermining one’s mental well-being such as one’s self-esteem, dignity and sense of identity.  

Financial Abuse

What is financial abuse?  

Unlike the aforementioned types of abuse, financial abuse is less frequently heard of. Financial abuse refers to controlling or restricting one’s ability to use money or other financial resources. Victims are often excluded from financial decision-making as well.   

Financial abuse is common in domestic abuse and elder abuse where the spouse’s or elderly parents’ access to financial resources are being controlled. Financial abuse traps victims in the abusive relationship as they do not have the resources to survive by themselves.  

What are the signs?  

Some signs of financial abuse include controlling expenses and allowance without seeking one’s opinion or advice, have access to one’s bank account, creating joint bank accounts, using one’s money without permission or agreement, or sabotaging one’s opportunities to acquire a job or promote. 

Ways to support someone I know who is being abused:


1. Help them prioritize their safety 

Safety of the victim is of utmost priority. Help victims of abuse stay safe, especially those who are physically abused and/or are isolated at home. Check in with their safety at times and ensure that they are okay.  

In the case where you cannot contact them for a few days or if you see that the victim has incurred serious physical and psychological hurt, please inform the police so that the victim can be separated and kept safe from the perpetuator.

You can work together with the victim to come up with a safety plan as well. A safety plan is a code used by the victim to signal that they are in danger. This code should not be revealed to the perpetuator to ensure the safety of the victim. 


2. Help them seek professional help if needed 

Encourage them to approach someone who can offer professional guidance and advice. If they are willing and consent to getting professional help, you can help them contact the relevant helplines if necessary.   

If consulting relevant professionals seems intimidating and overwhelming for the victim, offer to accompany them for the visits as well.  


3. Lend support to them  

Lend them a listening ear and let them know you are there for them. Support is important for the victims as they will know that they are not alone and they can turn to someone else for help.   

Often, perpetuators of abuse aim to make the victims feel bad about themselves so they can easily manipulate them. They tend to limit the victims’ access to social or financial resources (e.g. through isolating them from their friends or preventing them from getting a job) so they have no choice but to be dependent on them. Victims then develop learned helplessness and often find it hard to leave an abusive relationship. Knowing they have someone else to rely on other than the perpetuators is thus a great source of strength and courage to them.  

What should I not do if I know someone who is being abused? 


1. Do not trivialize and invalidate their experiences and feelings 

Opening up and sharing about being abused take a lot of courage. If an abuse victim confides in you, treat their call for help seriously and do not make insensitive jokes or remarks that would make them feel worse about themselves and more afraid to approach others for help. Always be emotionally accessible and non-judgmental when a victim shares about their experience.  

 

2. Do not blame them for their abuse 

Victims are never responsible of the other party’s abusive behaviors as we are all accountable for our own actions. Instead, help victims know that we are all deserving to be treated with respect and dignity, and abuse should not be justified by any reasons. 

 

3. Do not make decisions for them   

They have the right to make independent decisions for themselves. Do not force them to leave the perpetuator. It is difficult for victims to walk out of an abusive relationship, especially if they are emotionally, legally or financially tied to the perpetuator.  

However, regardless of their decisions, let them know you will be here for them. Try your best to reason with them and talk them through calmly, but ultimately, they have to make the choice for themselves.