EPISODE #103: Election Emotions & Cognitive Distortions
In this episode of Kitchen Table Conversations, Angela reflects on the emotional fallout of Canada’s recent federal election—and the importance of healthy dialogue. Drawing from her mental health background, she unpacks 10 common cognitive distortions (like all-or-nothing thinking and emotional reasoning) and encourages listeners to return to the table with more curiosity and less judgment. This episode is a must-listen for anyone feeling disillusioned by political division and searching for ways to reconnect with community and common ground.
10 Common Cognitive Distortions:
All-or-Nothing Thinking: This is when we see things in black and white. Someone’s either good or bad. A policy is either perfect or a disaster. It leaves no room for nuance.
Overgeneralization: You see a single event as a never-ending pattern. For example: "The country voted this way, so it’s all going downhill."
Mental Filter: You dwell on the negatives and ignore the positives. You might scroll through hundreds of thoughtful posts but fixate on the one that makes you angry.
Discounting the Positives: Even when something good happens, you find a way to brush it off: “That doesn’t count.”
Jumping to Conclusions: This includes mind-reading (assuming you know what others are thinking) and fortune-telling (assuming everything will go wrong).
Magnification or Minimization: This is when you exaggerate the negatives or downplay the positives.
Emotional Reasoning: You believe something must be true because you feel it strongly: “I feel scared, so things must be bad.”
Should Statements: You criticize yourself or others with rigid rules: “People should vote like this,” or “I must always get it right.”
Labeling: Instead of describing behavior, you assign negative labels: “They’re sheep,” “He’s a loser.”
Personalization and Blame: You either blame yourself for things outside your control, or you blame others without recognizing your own role.