3) Selective Abstraction (Mental Filter)

'Selective abstraction' is when you conceptualise a whole situation on the basis of one detail that is taken out of context.  You pick out one negative detail and think about it exclusively, thus perceiving the whole situation as negative.

For example: In a maths exam a student finished the paper but was sure she had missed 17 questions out of the 100. For days after the exam she couldn't stop thinking about those 17 questions and came to the conclusion that she should drop out of college. However, when she received the results of the exam, she scored 83 and got an A*!

When you are depressed, you mentally filter out everything positive, and because you are unaware of this 'filtering process' you conclude that everything is negative. It is a bad habit that causes you to suffer unnecessarily.

Automatic thoughts: Tom and Katie didn't come to my party. I must be a horrible person. No one likes me.

Possible answers: You invited 20 people to your party and only two didn't come. 18 of your friends did come! They wouldn't have come if you were a horrible person and they wouldn't have come if they didn't like you; therefore lots of people like you! Have you actually asked Tom and Katie why they didn't come? They probably had previous arrangements and it was nothing to do with you so don't take it personally!

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