Everybody knows the stereotypical fortune teller portrayed in movies. Often it is a Hollywood-style gypsy woman with a scarf around her head. She quietly escorts you into a private room partitioned off with a curtain and asks you to sit down while she looks into a crystal ball. You have mixed emotions while you wait for the fortune teller to give you the news about your future. Will there be any news and will it be bad or good?
Mind reading has always been a topic of great interest and there are many real-life people that claim to be psychics that can see your future. But there is also the phenomenon or ‘mind reading cognitive distortion’ that many people suffer from. This cognitive distortion can make life difficult for people, their friends and the people that they love.
With mind reading, people often jump to conclusions about what people are thinking about and this conclusion is often negative. People often engage in mind reading when they observe social cues such as body language that they are reading from people. At times non-verbal communication can be helpful, but there are often many misinterpretations that can be possible.
When we incorrectly mind-read, we may think in more negative ways when there is really nothing negative to interpret. This can result in increased anxiety and, or depression, as these feelings can snowball over time. People can also be hurt by the assumptions of people that are engaging in mind reading. It can cause rifts in relationships. Just because you know someone well doesn’t mean that you always know what they are thinking.
It is always important to communicate effectively. Not all of us have a crystal ball. Don’t assume the worst when confronted by a work colleague that is in a bad mood. This may not have anything to do with you. They might just be having a bad day. If your new partner is quiet during your second date, it does not mean that he has lost interest. He may have been up late last night thinking of you and is tired, or the Thai curry is a little bit too spicy for him.
Take the time to communicate and if you are being affected by mind readers, talk to someone about it. If you are having trouble getting out of the habit of mind reading you are welcome to talk to me. The first session is free.
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Cognitive distortions: Mind reading
https://cogbtherapy.com/cbt-blog/common-cognitive-distortions-mind-reading#:~:text=Take%20the%20example%20of%20someone,pretty%20miserable%20after%20a%20while
The assessment of cognitive errors using an observer-rated method
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/259314535_The_assessment_of_cognitive_errors_using_an_observer-rated_method
