Distortion of Reality: Examples & How to Avoid It

In our daily lives, we encounter situations that cause us discomfort and distress more than once. In most of them we perceive reality as it is, but there are others in which things are not as they seem to us. The facts are what they are and represent a concrete reality, but the causes and effects that we attribute to them may not be true, thus resulting in a distorted version of it, and this means that the negative emotions we feel in such situations are not justified and They inflict useless suffering on us.

Our perception of reality is shaped by our thoughts, emotions, biases, and past experiences. However, the way we see the world is not always an accurate reflection of reality itself. In psychology, distortion of reality refers to cognitive biases, defense mechanisms, and perceptual errors that cause us to misinterpret information or see things in a way that differs from objective truth.

These distortions can affect our decision-making, relationships, and mental health. They may lead to excessive worry, low self-esteem, or misunderstandings in social interactions. Learning to recognize and manage them is key to developing a more balanced and objective mindset.

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What is reality distortion

The question is important because our behavior depends on the idea we have formed of the situation and if this is not correct, it can lead to unwanted and unjustified consequences: frustrations, personal conflicts, disappointments, inappropriate behavior, misgivings or misunderstandings, which could be avoided if we instead contemplated the authentic version.

We all build consciously or unconsciously a mental representation of any event we observe, either as subjects thereof or as witnesses. The question centers on finding out if this representation coincides with the true one and thus arriving at the conviction that the affliction and concern it causes us are justified, because if they are not, we would be facing unnecessary and fruitless suffering.

Mental representations are the result of our perception of the facts, not of the facts themselves. This explains why there are times when only we “see” the conflict where other people do not see it (due to complexes, shame, prejudices, etc.), since we have a strong predisposition to take the conception we have of ourselves as a true reference. and the world to explain the events that happen.

Common Types of Reality Distortions

There are many ways our minds can warp reality, often without us even realizing it. Here are some of the most well-known psychological distortions:

1. Cognitive Biases

Cognitive biases are systematic patterns of deviation from rationality. They influence how we process information and make decisions.

Confirmation bias – Tendency to seek out and interpret information in a way that confirms our existing beliefs.
Negativity bias – Focusing more on negative experiences rather than positive ones.
Anchoring bias – Relying too heavily on the first piece of information received when making decisions.

2. Perceptual Distortions

These occur when our senses misinterpret stimuli, leading to illusions or incorrect perceptions.

Optical illusions – Our brain misinterprets visual information (e.g., mirages, ambiguous images).
Auditory hallucinations – Perceiving sounds that are not actually present, which can occur in conditions like schizophrenia.

3. Emotional Distortions

Our emotions can cloud our judgment, leading to exaggerated or irrational thoughts.

Catastrophizing – Assuming the worst-case scenario will happen.
Personalization – Believing that external events are directly related to oneself when they are not.
Emotional reasoning – Thinking that feelings represent reality (e.g., “I feel stupid, so I must be stupid”).

4. Defense Mechanisms

These are unconscious psychological strategies used to protect ourselves from stress and anxiety.

Denial – Refusing to accept reality (e.g., ignoring obvious signs of a failing relationship).
Projection – Attributing one’s own feelings or thoughts to others (e.g., accusing someone of being angry when you are the one feeling anger).
Rationalization – Justifying irrational behavior with seemingly logical reasons.

5. Social and Cultural Distortions

Our environment and society shape our worldview, sometimes leading to distorted perspectives.

Groupthink – People conform to group opinions even when they are flawed.
Media influence – News and social media can create exaggerated perceptions of reality.

Real-Life Examples of Reality Distortion

Example 1: Anxiety and Cognitive Distortions

A person with social anxiety may believe that everyone is judging them negatively in a meeting, even though there is no real evidence for this assumption.

Example 2: Self-Esteem and Personalization

Someone who struggles with low self-esteem may assume that a friend’s bad mood is their fault, even when it has nothing to do with them.

Example 3: The Influence of Media on Fear Perception

Repeated exposure to negative news stories can make people overestimate the likelihood of crime or disasters, even if crime rates are actually decreasing.

For example: “I have been fired because I am incompetent, I will not get any more jobs”; when really the cause has been due to the company’s economic problems.

Another example of this is the case presented by Sigmund Freud of a woman who suffered from a delusion of cellopathy and was convinced that her husband was cheating on her, and for this reason she reproached him for his infidelity. Certainly, her husband had never cheated on her. That woman was behaving not in accordance with external reality but according to her psychic reality, she was convinced that her internal reality was the true and authentic reality.

With this premise, when we feel an emotional disturbance caused by a specific event, we should ask ourselves: what is the nature of the event that is affecting me, is it real or is it a creation of my mind? To obtain an answer, it is advisable to first determine what we should consider as “reality.”

What is reality

The objective point of view points out that reality is that which exists and develops, contains within itself its own essence and its own laws, as well as the results of its own action and growth. However, from psychology, constructivism defends all those theories that do not consider human beings as passive recipients of experiences and learning, but as active builders of their reality and experiences, that is, that That reality does not depend on what is outside of us, but on how we see what is outside of us.

For its part, science tells us that real things have properties independent of those that the human mind attributes to them, thus, everything that surrounds us, everything that exists in Nature (animals, vegetables and minerals) is colorless, odorless. and tasteless, and it is the human being who, through his senses, gives color, flavor and smell to things thanks to the ability to manipulate his internal representations of the world.

Therefore, we can conclude that There are two types of reality: one physical and independent of the observer and another “psychological” that each person generates from it, assigning it a specific interpretation and meaning. In the first case, the events that occurred would constitute an event, while in the second they would form an experience, that is, a distinction is established between what happens and the way in which the person experiences it.

How the mental representation is created

Several factors intervene in the mental representation of an event, some related to the context and circumstances in which it occurs, and others to the characteristics of the person who experiences them. All these factors are received and organized through various mental processes resulting from an evolutionary strategy in the human being aimed at survival, which allows him to form a reality of the outside world and of himself as an integral part of it.

From a psychological point of view, each person adds an interpretation and meaning to their perception of the event, building a representation of it, through the various mental mechanisms at their disposal. Among these mechanisms, the most relevant are: sensory perception of the information received about the event and interpretation of it through the reasoning process that attributes meaning to it. Both have a great influence on the way we “understand” and “explain” our world and, consequently, our behavior.

Sensory perception of information

To construct the representation of an event, the mind uses its sensory capacity and captures the elements that intervene in it, paying attention to those that it considers most relevant. Attention is the most important element of perception, since events have many aspects and it is not possible to focus on all of them. The more suitable the information perceived is in quantity and veracity, the closer our subjective reality will be to our objective reality.

Interpretation

It is carried out through a reasoning process that interprets and assigns meaning to the perceived facts and, in addition, gives them an assessment depending on:

The context in which they take place (family, economic, social, work, religious).
Environmental circumstances.
The personal factors that are inherent (personality, emotional sensitivity, self-esteem,..).

The mind gathers the perceived sensory information, evaluates and organizes it, taking as reference the information stored in memory (knowledge, memories, beliefs, past experiences, motivations, expectations) and using various cognitive operators (logical, semantic, inductive, deductive, comparative). Due to the result of the evaluation and subsequent assessment of the consequences of the event, a series of afflictive emotions will emerge in greater or lesser intensity (fear, anger, sadness, anguish, hatred,..).

It must be taken into account that facts have no value on their own are neither intrinsically good nor bad, in this sense they are neutral, and It is each person who, based on what they perceive about them and how they interpret them, assigns them a meaning and a value according to your value system. But there are times when the reasoning process can result in several options, from which we have to choose one, and to decide we need to reach the conviction that we have chosen the true one. The most powerful source of conviction is sensory information, since our physical sensations are the most reliable criterion we have of reality (it is the natural mechanism generated by evolution), so for example, if we are told that the bowl of broth is hot , our information is verbal and we could doubt it, but if we drink and burn, the certainty will be total. Likewise, if they tell us that they have seen our partner with someone, we may doubt, but not if “we have seen it with our own eyes.”

Causes of reality distortion

Although several factors are involved, the most relevant have to do with the way we process information to create our own version of events, and what is interesting to find out is what factors intervene and how they do it. To do this, it is advisable to answer these questions:

Can I ensure that the facts I perceive are true and sufficient to develop an accurate idea of the situation? If the information is insufficient, erroneous or biased, it can cause error in interpretation.
When interpreting them, am I influenced by personal aspects unrelated to the situation that prevent me from having a faithful vision of it and judging it with equanimity?

It must be kept in mind that the interpretation of an event usually follows the interests of the person who observes it; he or she will normally opt for that interpretation that best consolidates and confirms his or her ideas about himself and about the reality that is inscribed in his mental patterns. Confirmation bias is one of the most influential, and in this sense, psychologists Norbert and Ross (1980) they state:

“People tend to search for, remember, and interpret data in ways that support their own beliefs.”

An excellent guide to knowing if we are influenced by inappropriate personal aspects when interpreting events is to focus on the well-known cognitive distortions of psychologist Aaron Beck, who defines them as “wrong ways of thinking that appear in the form of automatic thoughts (cognitive products) in certain situations, and that cause negative emotional states and inappropriate behaviors”. Distortions act as a kind of “psychological forces” that enter our thoughts. Because of them, we misinterpret the facts and we generate multiple disturbing and conflictive situations. Among these distortions are:

Pay attention to a single aspect or detail of the situation< The positive aspects are often ignored, giving more importance to the negative aspects.
Evaluate events in an extreme way: good/bad, white/black, everything/nothing, etc.
Drawing conclusions from a situation that are not supported by the facts even when the evidence is contrary to the conclusion.
Drawing a conclusion without sufficient basis general of a particular fact.
Tendency to exaggerate the negative of a situation (an event or one’s own quality) and to minimize the positive.
Have the habit of relating events in the environment with oneself appearing susceptible.
Advance events and, among the different options, thinking that the worst will always happen.
Maintain rigid rules and demanding about how things should happen.
Put global labels ourselves or others without taking into account other nuances.
Attributing all responsibility to oneself or others of events, ignoring other factors that contribute to them.

The interesting thing about this approach is that if we could eliminate the distorting factors from our minds, we would be able to create a mental representation that coincides with or is close to authentic reality. This would prevent us from the harmful consequences that they cause, for example: feeling guilty or ashamed for a specific action without there being reasons for it, feeling frustrated by something that we believe has gone wrong, or causing a misunderstanding that generates a conflict with another person. However, it is important to keep in mind that these distortions are not easy to detect and control, as they are deeply entrenched in the person’s unconscious.

How to Avoid Reality Distortions

Recognizing and managing distortions of reality is essential for mental well-being. Here are some strategies to help:

1. Practice Cognitive Restructuring

Challenge distorted thoughts by asking yourself:

Is this thought based on facts or assumptions?
What is an alternative explanation?
Am I focusing only on the negative?

2. Mindfulness and Self-Awareness

Practicing mindfulness helps you stay in the present moment and observe your thoughts without immediately accepting them as truth.

3. Seek Diverse Perspectives

Engage with different viewpoints and question your biases. This can help correct skewed perceptions shaped by limited experiences.

4. Limit Exposure to Misinformation

Be cautious about sources of information, especially social media and news outlets, which often amplify negative or biased content.

5. Develop Emotional Regulation Skills

Learn to manage emotions so they do not dictate your reality. Techniques like deep breathing, journaling, and therapy can help maintain emotional balance.

6. Work with a Therapist

A mental health professional can help identify cognitive distortions and provide strategies to challenge them effectively.

FAQs About Reality Distortion in Psychology

What is the difference between reality distortion and delusions?

Reality distortion refers to everyday cognitive biases and perceptual errors, whereas delusions are fixed false beliefs that persist despite evidence to the contrary, often seen in conditions like schizophrenia.

Can reality distortions be completely eliminated?

No, but they can be managed and reduced. Awareness and critical thinking help minimize their impact on decision-making and emotions.

How do social media and technology contribute to reality distortion?

Social media often presents filtered, exaggerated, or misleading portrayals of life, which can distort self-perception and reinforce cognitive biases.

Is reality distortion always negative?

Not necessarily. Some distortions, like optimism bias, can enhance motivation and resilience. However, unchecked distortions can lead to anxiety, poor decision-making, and relationship issues.

How can I tell if I am experiencing a cognitive distortion?

If your thoughts are consistently negative, extreme, or not based on clear evidence, you may be experiencing cognitive distortions. Keeping a thought journal or working with a therapist can help identify them.