Changing the Lens: Understanding Cognitive Distortions in Public Safety Personnel

Public Safety Personnel (PSP)face high stakes, high stress environments on a daily basis. While their courage and resilience are often lauded, the psychological toll of their work is less frequently acknowledged. One of the most profound yet invisible effects of chronic stress and trauma exposure is the alteration of cognitive processes, particularly through cognitive distortions. These are inaccurate or exaggerated thought patterns that negatively colour how we interpret ourselves, others, and the world. For PSP , these distorted thinking styles can quietly erode emotional wellbeing, contributing to anxiety, depression, and emotional disconnection.

What Are Cognitive Distortions?

Cognitive distortions are habitual ways of thinking that are often biased, illogical, or exaggerated. They occur automatically and shape how we process information, often without our conscious awareness. Common distortions include catastrophizing (expecting the worst), mind reading (assuming we know what others think), emotional reasoning (believing something is true because it feels true), and all-or-nothing thinking (seeing things in black-and-white terms).

These distortions are not merely bad habits they fundamentally shape our emotional reactions, decision making and behaviour. According to Beck’s cognitive theory of depression and anxiety, these distorted thoughts maintain or exacerbate mental health symptoms by creating a loop of negative interpretation and emotional dysregulation (Beck et al., 1985).

How Do They Change the Way We See the World?

The core impact of cognitive distortions lies in how they alter perception. Imagine wearing tinted glasses that distort everything you see, colours shift, lines bend, and shadows look threatening. Cognitive distortions act in the same way, causing a misinterpretation of reality that heightens threat, invalidates the positive, and overemphasizes failure or danger.

For instance, someone prone to emotional reasoning may conclude, “I feel overwhelmed, so I must be incompetent,” even in the absence of evidence. Over time, these mental shortcuts reshape how we interpret experiences, relationships, and even our own identities.

Research has shown a clear relationship between cognitive distortions and emotional expression. Individuals who rely heavily on emotional reasoning are less likely to express intimacy or emotional vulnerability with others, creating a barrier to authentic connection (Mercan et al., 2023). Meanwhile, distortions such as mind reading and catastrophizing are linked with increased expression of negative emotions, like frustration or anger often leading to interpersonal conflict and emotional exhaustion (Mercan et al., 2023).

Why Are Public Safety Personnel So Vulnerable?

The very nature of first responder workplaces them at higher risk of developing entrenched cognitive distortions. These professionals are repeatedly exposed to traumatic events, moral injuries, and life-or-death decisions. Over time, this exposure primes the brain to overgeneralize danger and underestimate safety.

Studies have found that occupational stress in PSP is associated with elevated levels of cognitive distortions, especially catastrophizing and overgeneralization (Devilly et al., 2006). These distortions can become reinforced by experience. For example, a paramedic who once failed to resuscitate a patient may begin to think, “I always fail when it matters,” or “If I can’t save everyone, I’m not good at my job.” These thoughts become cognitive filters that shape future experiences and self-perceptions.

In a recent study on healthcare workers and frontline responders, those with higher cognitive distortion scores reported significantly more anxiety and depressive symptoms, even when accounting for other factors like workload or exposure to COVID 19 (Kaurin et al., 2022). The findings underline the cumulative impact of distorted thinking in a population trained to be strong and self-reliant, qualities that often discourage help-seeking or emotional expression.

A Tangled Web: Cognitive Distortions, Depression, and Anxiety

The link between cognitive distortions and mental health concerns is well-documented. Distorted thinking is both a symptom and a contributing factor in anxiety and depression. People who catastrophize are more likely to experience chronic anxiety, especially in social and professional settings. Similarly, patterns like minimizing the positive or labeling (ie. “I’m a failure”) are hallmark features in those suffering from depression (Mercan et al., 2023).

In a large-scale study, cognitive distortions such as personalization, labeling, and disqualifying the positive were found to correlate strongly with higher depression scores, even among individuals who were not clinically diagnosed (Mercan et al., 2023). These findings highlight that the presence of distorted thinking can be an early marker of psychological distress, not just a byproduct of existing disorders. Another study further supports these findings, showing that cognitive distortions significantly mediated the relationship between trauma exposure and depression/anxiety symptoms in frontline healthcare workers (Kaurin et al., 2022). This suggests that cognitive distortions might not only reflect internal distress but also act as a bridge connecting external stressors with internal suffering.

How Can We Change the Lens?

Fortunately, cognitive distortions are not permanent. With proper tools and therapeutic support, individuals can learn to recognize, challenge, and replace these patterns. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is the most well established method for addressing cognitive distortions. Through exercises and skills development clients learn to identify maladaptive thoughts and generate more balanced alternatives.

One particularly useful approach involves reframing, a strategy where individuals examine the evidence for and against a thought, consider alternate explanations, and develop more realistic perspectives. For instance, replacing “I always mess things up” with “This was a tough situation, and I did the best I could given the circumstances.”

Another promising intervention involves increasing emotional awareness and expression. Studies have shown that the ability to regulate emotional expression is inversely related to the presence of cognitive distortions (Mercan et al., 2023). Teaching PSP  how to express emotions in healthy ways—without fear of judgment or vulnerability can significantly reduce internal stress.

Programs tailored specifically for PSP, such as trauma-focused CBT, resilience training, and peer support groups, can offer safe, culturally competent spaces for exploring and restructuring thought patterns (Devilly et al., 2006).

Cognitive distortions may be invisible, but their effects are deeply felt, especially by PSP who carry the weight of others’ crises every day. By understanding how these distorted thought patterns shape perception and contribute to anxiety and depression, we can begin to equip our frontline workers with the tools they need to heal, reconnect, and reclaim their narrative.

Changing your lens takes time, compassion, and skill but it is entirely possible. With awareness and intervention, even the most deeply embedded cognitive distortions can be untangled, restoring clarity, hope, and emotional balance.

References

Beck, A. T., Rush, A. J., Shaw, B. F., & Emery, G. (1985). Cognitive therapy of depression. Guilford Press.

Devilly, G. J., Wright, R., & Varker, T. (2006). Vicarious trauma, secondary traumatic stress or simply burnout? Effect of trauma therapy on mental health professionals. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 40(1), 75–82. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1440,1614.2006.01766.x

Kaurin, A., Rusch, H. L., Leoutsakos, J.,M., Espinel, Z., Mahone, H., & Everly, G. S. (2022). Cognitive distortions and psychological distress among healthcare workers during COVID,19. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 149, 233–240. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.02.042

Mercan, N., Bulut, M., & Yüksel, Ç. (2023). Investigation of the relatedness of cognitive distortions with emotional expression, anxiety, and depression: Research and reviews. Current Psychology, 42(3), 2176–2185. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144,021,02251,z