What does the term "cognitive distortions" mean? It refers to the fact that our initial reactions are not always reliable and trustworthy. Don’t be ashamed of those initial reactions. Don’t moralize about them or “be ashamed.” Simply see them for what they often are: inaccurate. Practice telling yourself: “What I’m feeling right now probably isn’t correct and accurate. I need time to think so I can figure out what the whole truth is.”

Emotions often tell us part of the truth, but usually not the WHOLE truth, which is the essence of error in many (not all) emotions.