Lesson Plan: Is Your Brain a Liar?

The negative thoughts that pop into our minds can range from slightly unrealistic to totally untrue… but how do you tell the difference? Read on to find out—and learn some tricks for taking control.

1. What is happening in your brain when “personalization” occurs?Personalization occurs when you assume something that happened has something to do with you.
2. What does it mean to use  “emotional reasoning”? Emotional reasoning occurs when your brain decides what to think based on how you feel.
3. Explain at least one solution for overgeneralizing mentioned in the article. Possible answers: Replace “always” with “often” so you can have a more realistic view of a situation; try focusing on a solution.

1. Can you think of a time you experienced one of the cognitive distortions mentioned in the article? Explain. Answers will vary.
2. Emotions can sometimes  lead you to erroneous conclusions, but are they totally useless? Can emotions ever lead you to correct conclusions? Explain. Possible answers: If you are in a manipulative or abusive friendship or relationship, your feelings can help your brain understand that maybe you need to distance yourself from that person; if a bully is being mean to you on purpose, your feelings can help your brain identify when it’s gone too far and to make the decision to tell a trusted adult about the situation.
3. Describe a real-life scenario where a negative thought might be true. Then, propose a solution to “acknowledge the thought without giving it all the power.” Possible answers: If you have a bad grade in a class, you can focus on solutions, such as asking that teacher for some extra time or creating a study plan; if you’re feeling badly because you hurt a friend’s feelings, you can make a decision to send an apology text.