Recently, I had the pleasure of listening to an informative programme on Radio 4 that delves into the science of exercise and the perils of inactivity. This episode was the first one in a series of eight, all of which are freely available on BBC Sounds (link below). I wholeheartedly recommend giving them a listen, as they are both thought-provoking and enjoyable.

The series features two affable doctors who happen to be twins. One of them, Xand, is an advocate for exercise, while his twin, Chris, adopts a more sceptical stance towards physical activity. Their contrasting perspectives create a dynamic dialogue with each other and a host of experts, providing a balanced view on the subject.

As I journeyed through the episodes, the way the twins framed exercise reminded me of the numerous cognitive distortions outlined in cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT). These distortions are essentially biased perspectives we have about ourselves and the world around us. They are irrational thoughts and beliefs that we unknowingly reinforce over time, shaping our reality and leading to negative thinking. In the context of exercise, these cognitive distortions can significantly impact our motivation and commitment to stay active, and can deter people from engaging in physical activity, despite its numerous health benefits.

In this post, I thought it would be interesting to explore these cognitive distortions further, particularly in relation to exercise. By understanding and challenging these distortions, we can reframe our thoughts about exercise and foster a healthier and more positive attitude towards physical activity. This, in turn, can help us overcome barriers to exercise and lead a more active and healthier lifestyle.

In this post, I have selected a few cognitive distortions to discuss, although there are many more that could be explored.

One such distortion is all-or-nothing thinking, which involves viewing situations in black-and-white terms, with no middle ground or shades of grey. This often leads to extremes, such as seeing oneself as either a complete success or a total failure, without acknowledging the possibility of partial success or areas for improvement.

Another common distortion is catastrophising, which involves magnifying or exaggerating the importance or consequences of events. Individuals who catastrophise often assume the worst-case scenario will occur, leading to feelings of fear or anxiety that can be overwhelming.

Emotional reasoning is a further distortion, where individuals believe that their emotions reflect objective reality, rather than recognising that they are influenced by our thoughts and interpretations. For instance, someone who feels anxious may conclude that they are in danger, even if there is no objective threat present.

Should statements represent another form of cognitive distortion. These involve imposing rigid and unrealistic expectations on ourselves or others, often leading to feelings of guilt, frustration, and resentment when these expectations are not met.

The distortion of magnification and minimisation involves exaggerating the importance of negative events or qualities (magnification) while downplaying or dismissing positive events or qualities (minimisation). This distortion can undermine self-esteem and create a skewed perception of reality.

Finally, overgeneralisation is a distortion that involves drawing broad conclusions based on limited evidence or a single negative experience. For example, someone who fails at one task may conclude that they are a failure in all aspects of their life, which is a clear example of overgeneralisation.

Cognitive distortions can significantly affect a person’s engagement with healthy behaviours. Here are some examples of how these distortions can impact our health:

• Self-sabotage: Cognitive distortions can lead to self-sabotaging behaviours where individuals undermine their own efforts to engage in healthy behaviours. For instance, someone who engages in all-or-nothing thinking may become discouraged and give up on exercise or healthy eating after a minor setback, believing that they have failed completely.
• Avoidance: Distortions like catastrophising and emotional reasoning can lead to avoidance behaviours. Individuals may avoid situations or activities that they perceive as threatening or uncomfortable. This can interfere with engagement in healthy behaviours, such as avoiding social situations that involve healthy eating or exercise.
• Perfectionism: Cognitive distortions such as should statements and all-or-nothing thinking can fuel perfectionism. This leads individuals to set unrealistic expectations for themselves, creating a cycle of disappointment and self-blame when they inevitably fall short of these standards. This makes it challenging to sustain healthy behaviours.
• Distorted priorities: Cognitive distortions can distort individuals’ priorities, leading them to focus on short-term gratification rather than long-term health goals. For example, someone who engages in magnification and minimisation may prioritise immediate pleasure, such as eating junk food, over the long-term benefits of healthy eating.
• Procrastination: Cognitive distortions like perfectionism and all-or-nothing thinking can contribute to procrastination. Individuals delay taking action towards their health goals due to fear of failure or the belief that they must achieve perfection. This delay can prevent them from making progress towards healthier habits.
• Over-reliance on quick fixes: Cognitive distortions such as magical thinking and overgeneralisation can lead individuals to seek out quick-fix solutions or fad diets rather than making sustainable lifestyle changes. This can result in disappointment and frustration when these solutions fail to produce lasting results, undermining their motivation to pursue healthier behaviours. Magical thinking is a cognitive distortion where individuals believe that their thoughts, feelings, or actions can influence the outcome of a situation.

Cognitive distortions can escalate avoidance behaviours over time. Individuals seek to avoid situations or stimuli that trigger negative thoughts or emotions. This can lead to a narrowing of their comfort zone and further restrict their engagement with healthy behaviours. Understanding these distortions and their impact on our health behaviours is the first step towards addressing them and fostering healthier habits.

Links

BBC Radio 4 – A Thorough Examination with Drs Chris and Xand