Anger Management

1. Module 6
Dysfunctional Thinking

2. What is dysfunctional
thinking?
Simply having assumptions about ourselves,
others, and life in general that work against you.
Dysfunctional thinking also includes errors in
information processing, based on unreliable
thoughts and concepts, which can lead to
unhealthy situations.
These thoughts promote negative interpretations
and behaviors and an inability to resolve conflict.

3. Dysfunctional Thinking continued…
All or nothing
thinking
Shoulds Catastrophizing Overgeneralizing Minimizing/ma
gnifying
Taking it
personally
Seeing it only in
black and white.
Always in
extremes.
Try motivating
yourself with
“should” &
“shouldn’t”
“musts” &
“oughts”
Blowing things out
of proportion.
Thinking in absolute
terms. “always” and
”never”
Exaggerate the
importance of
problems.
Relate everything
to yourself.
Shouldering all
responsiility
Emotional
reasoning
Jumping to
conclusions
Labeling Mind Reading Requiring
“specialness”
Got to be right
Assume that your
negative emotions
reflect the way
things really are.
Interpret
situations
negatively when
there are no facts
to support it.
Saying what is
wrong with others
instead of owning
your trait “I am a
loser”
Assuming that
negative thoughts
are about you./not
checking your
assumptions.
Feeling like others
aren’t treating you
special enough.
Difficulty being
wrong. Must be
perfect.

4. Dysfunctional
Thoughts
* Your thoughts in response to a situation or event
mostly determine your emotional state.

5. 1. Dysfunctional thoughts are typically so automatic
and subtle that you are unaware of them or their
affect on your moods. You respond without being
aware of what you told yourself.
2. Dysfunctional thoughts often appear in coded form.
One short word or image may contain a whole series
of thoughts, memories, or associations.
3. Dysfunctional thoughts are often irrational but
almost always believed to be true. “what it”
thinking.
4. You can replace unhealthy thinking with more
positive, supportive mental habits.
Examples;
“I should always be generous & unselfish”
“I am powerless”
“I don’t deserve to be successful or happy”

6. Dysfunctional Thinking Personality Types
The Pessimist The Faultfinder The Victim The Perfectionist
Prone to negativity
Tendency to include
anticipating negative
outcomes.
Fear of the future
Catastrophizing
“What if?”
Constantly judging
Pointing out flaws &
limitations.
Pounces on mistakes.
“You could’ve done
better”
Feels helpless or hopeless.
Something is wrong with
them.
Feeling unworthy.
“I’ll never be able to”
Similar to faultfinder
Self critical
Motivation to always
improve.
Nothing is ever good
enough.

7. Adjusting to Dysfunctional Thoughts
• All occasions when you’re
feeling anxiety.
• Times when you’ve made
mistakes or have failed to
meet expectations.
• Situations in which you feel
under scrutiny or criticized
• Times when you’re angry at
yourself or others
• What are some of your
situations?
Awareness of Situations Likely to Induce Your Dysfunctional Thoughts

8. How to manage dysfunctional thoughts
• Explore yourself: “what have I
been saying to myself that led
me to feel this way?”
• Relax or Distract yourself: Do
diaphragmatic breathing or
using some alternative method
of distraction.
• Keep a record of Dysfunctional
thoughts: keeping a journal
about your actions and what
prompted them.
• Confront the dysfunctional
thoughts: You can confront
these by requiring direct proof
of their validity.

9. 2 additional questions in confronting
dysfunctional thoughts which help to
challenge their reality & reasonableness:
• Did I choose this belief, or did it
come out of my experiences
growing up?
• Does this belief promote my OK-
ness (well-being)?
Restructuring Dysfunctional Thoughts:
We often engage in internal conversations with ourselves throughout the day. Unless we’re trained
to observe these conversations, however , we don’t even realize we’re having them!
“I can’t stand it when someone gets angry with me.”
Restructure statement:
It can be uncomfortable, but I don’t need their approval. I can handle and tolerate disapproval.

10. Coping Statements for Replacing
Dysfunctional Thoughts
• Use the most positive affirmations you
can to replace old, negative
dysfunctional thoughts, even if you
don’t believe it yet.
• Don’t use affirmations in the future
tense because it is important for your
mind to experience a new belief as if
it has already occurred.
• Writing down or saying the
affirmations out loud will produce a
deeper level of knowing & believing
than reading them to yourself.
• Repetition will also allow you to
believe in a deeper way.
• Examples:
• I am a worthwhile, deserving person.
• I love and accept myself
• Only I decide what success means to
me.
• I am successful in many ways.

11. Working with a Dysfunctional Thought
1. What do you have about your described situation?
What could you begin to think differently about this
thought?
2. My “healthier” thought is:
How can I think even “better” about this certain thought?
3. My “even better” thought is:
My final good thoughts are now going to be:
• Take any situation that comes to
mind that you would like to fix in
your current life. Describe your
situation:
• Homework:
• Work with a dysfunctional thought. & anger log