Module 5
From all-or-nothing thinking to flexibility
Many young people get into patterns of “all-or-nothing thinking”.
Something is either “good” or “bad”, “right” or “wrong”, a “complete failure” or a “complete success”, without a middle ground in between.
These kinds of all-or-nothing thoughts go along with feelings of stress or sadness.
Here are some examples that Riley, Jamie and Taylor experienced.
Do any of these sound like you?
| Example All-Or-Nothing Thinking | That's Like Me! | |
|---|---|---|
| Taylor | The fact that I cannot concentrate on my study at all, means that I will never succeed in study again. | Riley | If I do not see my friends all the time, then there is no point catching up at all. |
| Jamie | No one will understand my situation, so there is no point at all talking to anyone. |
One of the ways to overcome all or nothing thinking is with continuums.
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