Thought Detective · a CBT mini-game
Every anxious thought leaves clues
Cognitive distortions are the sneaky “villains” that twist how we read a situation. Take a case, investigate the thought, unmask the distortion at work, and rebuild a balanced, fairer conclusion. It's the heart of cognitive behavioral therapy, played as a game.
The case files
The rogues' gallery
The twelve distortions you'll learn to recognize. Get to know their tricks.
The Absolutist
⚡⚡All-or-Nothing Thinking
Viewing situations in only two categories instead of on a continuum. If performance falls short of perfect, you see it as a total failure.
“I got one B on my report card, so I'm a terrible student.”
The Psychic
⚡⚡⚡Mind Reading
Assuming you know what others are thinking without sufficient evidence. You believe you can read minds.
“They didn't respond to my text. They must think I'm annoying.”
The Prophet
⚡⚡⚡Fortune Telling
Predicting the future negatively without considering other, more likely outcomes. You expect things to turn out badly.
“I'm going to fail this interview. I know it.”
The Dramatist
⚡⚡Catastrophizing
Expecting disaster to strike no matter what. You magnify the importance of insignificant events.
“I made a small mistake at work. I'm going to get fired and lose everything.”
The Tyrant
⚡⚡Should Statements
Trying to motivate yourself with "shoulds" and "shouldn'ts." The emotional consequence is guilt and frustration.
“I should be able to handle this. I shouldn't feel this way.”
The Historian
⚡Overgeneralization
Coming to a general conclusion based on a single incident. Using words like "always" or "never."
“I failed once, so I'll never succeed at anything.”
The Feeler
⚡⚡⚡Emotional Reasoning
Assuming that negative emotions reflect the way things really are. "I feel it, therefore it must be true."
“I feel overwhelmed, so this task must be impossible.”
The Minimizer
⚡⚡Disqualifying the Positive
Rejecting positive experiences by insisting they "don't count." Holding a negative belief despite contrary evidence.
“They only said that to be nice. My success was just luck.”
The Name-Caller
⚡Labeling
Attaching a negative label to yourself or others. An extreme form of overgeneralization.
“I'm a loser. I'm a failure. I'm worthless.”
The Self-Blamer
⚡⚡Personalization
Believing you are responsible for events outside your control. Taking things personally when they aren't about you.
“My friend is in a bad mood. I must have done something wrong.”
The Magnifier
⚡⚡Mental Filter
Focusing exclusively on negative details while filtering out the positive aspects of a situation.
“The presentation had one awkward moment, so the whole thing was a disaster.”
The Leaper
⚡Jumping to Conclusions
Making negative interpretations without actual evidence to support your conclusion.
“They walked by without saying hi. They must be mad at me.”
Thought Detective is a psychoeducational exercise, not therapy or a diagnosis. It won't fix a crisis. If you're overwhelmed or unsafe, call or text 988.