Twisted Thinking 3

6. MAGNIFICATION

You exaggerate the importance of your problems and shortcomings, or you minimize the importance of your desirable qualities.

7. EMOTIONAL REASONING
You assume that your negative emotions necessarily reflect the way things really are.
"I feel terrified about going on airplanes. It must be very dangerous to fly.
Or you think,"I feel guilty. I must be a rotten person."

8. "SHOULD" STATEMENTS
You tell yourself that things should be the way you hoped or expected them to be. After playing a difficult piece on the piano, a gifted pianist told herself, "I shouldn't have made so many mistakes."
'Musts', 'Oughts' and 'Have tos' are similar offenders.
"Should" statements are also directed against other people: "He shouldn't be so stubborn and argumentative."