• Most of us engage in dichotomous thinking from time to time, but it becomes a cognitive distortion (incorrect thinking pattern) when we do it on a regular basis.

The quality of your health is determined by the quality of your thinking. Perhaps this is oversimplified, but it works. Getting into the habit of minimising cognitive distortions will help you stay clear of many cognitive disorders.

1. What is dichotomisation?

Dichotomisation, also referred to as all or nothing thinking, refers to the tendency to evaluate one’s personal qualities in extreme black or white categories. It means to separate into two parts or classifications. Here we refer to dichotomisation as a type of thinking that involves viewing things in absolute terms. It is either black or white, it is everything or nothing. People who practise dichotomisation want things to be perfect, otherwise they think they are a failure. For them there is no middle ground. No grey area. It is also referred to as binary thinking. Where one simplifies complex situations by categorising them into two opposing extremes. This thinking tends to ignore the nuances that exist between these extremes. While this can be useful in simplifying complex systems, it often oversimplifies the interconnected nature of brain processes.

2. How is it formed?

Dichotomisation develops over years, through a combination of psychological, developmental, and environmental influences that shape how individuals view and make sense of their experiences. They are habitual, automatic errors in thinking that tend to reinforce negative emotions and beliefs, particularly in conditions like anxiety and depression.

• Early life experiences: negative or traumatic experiences in childhood (e.g., neglect, criticism, rejection) can shape beliefs about yourself, others, and the world.
• Core beliefs: during childhood individuals may form core beliefs like “I’m unlovable” or “the world is dangerous: these beliefs later lead to distorted thinking patterns to maintain or protect these beliefs. Cognitive distortions are often linked to underlying schemas—mental frameworks formed early in life. These beliefs filter new information and experiences, leading to biased interpretations.
• Learned behaviour: children learn thinking patterns from caregivers, peers, and media. If authority figures model distorted thinking, like dichotomisation, children may adopt these as normal.
• Stress and mental health conditions: anxiety, depression, trauma, and other conditions increase the likelihood of distorted thinking.
  Under stress, people are more likely to rely on shortcuts or cognitive biases that produce distortions.
• Reinforcement and repetition: the more a distorted thought like dichotomisation is repeated, the more automatic and believable it becomes. Over time, this becomes a habitual pattern

3. How to identify dichotomisation?

Certain words that you or other people use can help you to identify whether thoughts lean towards dichotomisation.

• Always
• Never
• Impossible
• Disaster
• Furious
• Ruined
• Perfect

4. When dichotomisation benefits us:

• To reduce cognitive load (your brain naturally wants to simplify complex information)
• When making quick decisions to help us (e.g., good vs. bad, safe vs. dangerous)
• The need for certainty (mostly people prefer clear-cut categories because ambiguity is uncomfortable)
• A sense of control and predictability, especially in uncertain or emotionally charged contexts.

5. Tips on how to deal with dichotomisation

Dichotomisation is a cognitive distortion which means it keeps us from seeing the world as it often is: complex, yet full of all the shades in between. Dichotomisation has an impact on your mental health, can sabotage your career and cause disruption in your relationships.