Examples of how your Cognitions (thoughts) affect how you Feel
Reminder: In CBT it is not the situation itself that causes our emotion, but it is the way we interpret or view the situation that largely influences how we feel.
Imagine the following situation. You try to contact your friend by telephone several times as you had previously agreed, but your friend is not answering and has not let you know what is happening. The way you interpret this situation will influence how you feel about it.
The way we view things will affect how we feel and what we do next (Behaviour). So it is not the event itself that is causes the feeling, but the way we have learnt to view it.
In reality, you may experience a number of different thoughts and feelings to the above example such as:
I wonder if there is a problem → concerned
I need to get through to her → frustrated
Why is she not answering → confused
