Filtering is a cognitive distortion that we do every day. We are constantly being bombarded with all kinds of information through our senses and we cannot possibly pay attention to all of it. Therefore, filtering allows us to screen out much of the unnecessary information and only pay attention to the most important information that we are being presented with. We engage in filtering all the time and it is a normal part of life.
However, in depression and anxiety, what can often happen is that you can start to pay attention only to the negative things in life and filter out any of the neutral or positive things. What ends up happening, as you filter out the positive and neutral information in your life, you are only left with focusing on negative things, which can drive mood down and results in even more negative filtering. We only respond emotionally to the things that we pay attention to and, if all you pay attention to is the negative, what results is feeling like life is nothing but negative, bleak and depressing.
So, the first step in addressing the cognitive distortion of filtering is to be aware when you are engaging in filtering and recognize it when it occurs. Then, when you catch yourself filtering, you need to remember to zoom out and think about the whole picture, including all of the information that you are filtering out.
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