Life is filled with complexities, uncertainties, and nuances. Yet sometimes our thinking gravitates to the extremes of black and white. This cognitive distortion, also known as “splitting,” can seriously limit our perspectives and negatively impact mental health. By recognizing black and white thinking tendencies in ourselves, we can start expanding our viewpoints to embrace the gray areas.
Black and white thinking manifests in many forms. We categorize people as either good or bad, with no room for human flaw. Situations are seen as either successes or failures, with no middle ground. Issues seem like they will either ruin us or have no consequence at all. There is only right or wrong, no compromise or “both.”
This polarized perspective leaves little room for questioning, empathy, or seeing different sides. When we engage in black and white thinking, we close ourselves off to complexity and alternate viewpoints. Shades of gray are dismissed or ignored.
Yet the world requires us to navigate ambiguities and contradictions. Individuals possess both redeeming and harmful qualities. Most outcomes have elements of both achievement and disappointment. Emotions are often bittersweet. By acknowledging these nuances, we gain a fuller understanding of people, situations, and our inner experiences.
Getting in the habit of asking ourselves “Is my perspective all-or-nothing?” can help catch black and white thinking tendencies. Intentionally looking for gray areas builds more balanced thought patterns over time. While the ambiguities of life can feel uncomfortable, leaning into that uncertainty expands our awareness. The more we embrace nuance, the less we suffer from distorting life through a strict black and white lens.
