All-or-Nothing Thinking

(aka Black & White Thinking)

All-or-nothing thinking is one of the most common and most damaging cognitive distortions. It is the tendency to see things in absolute categories with no middle ground. Everything is either perfect or a disaster (all-or-nothing thinking and perfectionism are deeply intertwined). You're either succeeding or failing. A person is either wonderful or terrible.

Example: You follow a healthy eating plan for three weeks, then have a slice of cake at a birthday party. Instead of seeing this as a minor, normal deviation, you think: "I've completely ruined it. What's the point of even trying?" The slip becomes total failure, and total failure becomes a reason to give up entirely.

All-or-nothing thinking eliminates nuance — and real life is almost entirely nuance.