What Is Dichotomous Thinking?

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCharacteristicsRelated ConditionsExamplesTreatment

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Characteristics

Related Conditions

Examples

Treatment

Dichotomous thinking, also known as “black or white thinking,” is a symptom of many psychiatric conditions andpersonality disorders, includingborderline personality disorder(BPD). Dichotomous thinking contributes to interpersonal problems and emotional and behavioral instability.

At a GlanceWhen people engage in dichotomous thinking, they see things in extremes—it’s all or nothing; black or white; this or that. It’s a common feature of borderline personality disorder, but it can also take place in other conditions like anxiety, depression, OCD, and some types of eating disorders. Keep reading to learn more about how to recognize the signs and treatments that can help combat this type of thinking.

At a Glance

When people engage in dichotomous thinking, they see things in extremes—it’s all or nothing; black or white; this or that. It’s a common feature of borderline personality disorder, but it can also take place in other conditions like anxiety, depression, OCD, and some types of eating disorders. Keep reading to learn more about how to recognize the signs and treatments that can help combat this type of thinking.

Characteristics of Dichotomous Thinking

Signs of dichotomous thinking include:

Many people experience dichotomous thinking sometimes, but it can be a problem when extreme conclusions about yourself, others, or circumstances interfere with your emotional stability, relationships, and decisions.

If most of your thoughts break down to black or white, good or bad, and all or nothing, then it is possible that you have a strong tendency towards dichotomous thinking.

This extreme thinking can cause serious overreactions or emotional responses and may result in significant consequences if you tend to behave impulsively in response to your extreme feelings. Whether it’s breaking off a relationship or poor work performance, dichotomous thinking can affect your quality of life.

Dichotomous Thinking and Mental Health Disorders

Dichotomous thinking can happen to anyone from time to time, but it is also a common type of cognitive distortion associated with certain mental health conditions. Some disorders that often feature dichotomous thinking include:

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a condition that is commonly associated with this type of thinking. BPD can be difficult to live with and is often difficult to diagnose because people who have it may experience extreme mood swings and erratic behavior but generally cannot see themselves as having a problem and instead view others as the problem.

People with BPD are more likely to display dichotomous thinking than people who do not have BPD.

Examples of Dichotomous Thinking

Dichotomous thinking can cause conflicts and agitation, disrupting your own inner sense of peace and disrupting peace between yourself and others. If you have BPD, you may experience dichotomous thinking without even realizing it.

For example, you might frequently flip-flop between seeing yourself as a remarkable success or a major failure based on the praise or criticism of others.

A person with dichotomous thinking maymeet a new coworker at work. In the beginning, the coworker is viewed as amazing, perfect, and better than any other coworker or friend ever encountered before.

People with dichotomous thinking tend to have favorites and to believe that everything about a favorite person or thing issuperiorto others. However, as time goes on, someone with dichotomous thinking may suddenly swing to the opposite extreme.

In some instances, dichotomous thinking can result in financial problems. Impulsive purchases and a lack of balanced judgment at work and in one’s personal life can have serious consequences.

Treatment of Dichotomous Thinking

Dichotomous thinking and BPD can be very detrimental, holding you back from living a rich, full life. However, there are treatments that can help people better learn to manage dichotomous thinking. There are also effective treatments available to help people who have BPD.

Types of therapythat are often used to treat dichotomous thinking and borderline personality disorder include:

If you have symptoms, it is recommended that you seek out a healthcare professional who is trained and experienced in treating borderline personality disorder.

How Therapy Can Help

By taking a step back, you can build the skills necessary to learn to form a more realistic perception of your relationships and your environment.

Treatment for dichotomous thinking often focuses on helping people identify and reframe their thoughts. It also encourages more realistic self-talk that avoids absolute language like “always” and “never.” It may also help people learn to better tolerate distress and accept that there are things they cannot change.

Keep in Mind

If you recognize that you have a tendency to dichotomous thinking, it is also important to avoid acting on your extreme thoughts or making sudden decisions. You might want to write things down or discuss them with a trusted friend or therapist. These steps can give you time to consider your decisions and to get feedback from a neutral source before you take action that could cause harm to your relationships or your finances.

6 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Lewis JA, Fraga KJ, Erickson TM.Dichotomous thinking. In: Zeigler-Hill V, Shackelford TK, eds.Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences. Springer International Publishing; 2019:1-5. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-28099-8_651-1Rowland TA, Jainer AK, Panchal R.Living with obsessional personality.BJPsych Bull. 2017;41(6):366-367. doi:10.1192/pb.41.6.366aBeeney JE, Hallquist MN, Ellison WD, Levy KN.Self-other disturbance in borderline personality disorder: Neural, self-report, and performance-based evidence.Personal Disord. 2016;7(1):28-39. doi:10.1037/per0000127Jeong H, Jin MJ, Hyun MH.Understanding a mutually destructive relationship between individuals with borderline personality disorder and their favorite person.Psychiatry Investig. 2022;19(12):1069-1077. doi:10.30773/pi.2022.0079Choi-Kain LW, Finch EF, Masland SR, Jenkins JA, Unruh BT.What works in the treatment of borderline personality disorder.Curr Behav Neurosci Rep. 2017;4(1):21–30. doi:10.1007/s40473-017-0103-zNational Institute of Mental Health.Borderline personality disorder: Treatments and therapies.

6 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Lewis JA, Fraga KJ, Erickson TM.Dichotomous thinking. In: Zeigler-Hill V, Shackelford TK, eds.Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences. Springer International Publishing; 2019:1-5. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-28099-8_651-1Rowland TA, Jainer AK, Panchal R.Living with obsessional personality.BJPsych Bull. 2017;41(6):366-367. doi:10.1192/pb.41.6.366aBeeney JE, Hallquist MN, Ellison WD, Levy KN.Self-other disturbance in borderline personality disorder: Neural, self-report, and performance-based evidence.Personal Disord. 2016;7(1):28-39. doi:10.1037/per0000127Jeong H, Jin MJ, Hyun MH.Understanding a mutually destructive relationship between individuals with borderline personality disorder and their favorite person.Psychiatry Investig. 2022;19(12):1069-1077. doi:10.30773/pi.2022.0079Choi-Kain LW, Finch EF, Masland SR, Jenkins JA, Unruh BT.What works in the treatment of borderline personality disorder.Curr Behav Neurosci Rep. 2017;4(1):21–30. doi:10.1007/s40473-017-0103-zNational Institute of Mental Health.Borderline personality disorder: Treatments and therapies.

Lewis JA, Fraga KJ, Erickson TM.Dichotomous thinking. In: Zeigler-Hill V, Shackelford TK, eds.Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences. Springer International Publishing; 2019:1-5. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-28099-8_651-1Rowland TA, Jainer AK, Panchal R.Living with obsessional personality.BJPsych Bull. 2017;41(6):366-367. doi:10.1192/pb.41.6.366aBeeney JE, Hallquist MN, Ellison WD, Levy KN.Self-other disturbance in borderline personality disorder: Neural, self-report, and performance-based evidence.Personal Disord. 2016;7(1):28-39. doi:10.1037/per0000127Jeong H, Jin MJ, Hyun MH.Understanding a mutually destructive relationship between individuals with borderline personality disorder and their favorite person.Psychiatry Investig. 2022;19(12):1069-1077. doi:10.30773/pi.2022.0079Choi-Kain LW, Finch EF, Masland SR, Jenkins JA, Unruh BT.What works in the treatment of borderline personality disorder.Curr Behav Neurosci Rep. 2017;4(1):21–30. doi:10.1007/s40473-017-0103-zNational Institute of Mental Health.Borderline personality disorder: Treatments and therapies.

Rowland TA, Jainer AK, Panchal R.Living with obsessional personality.BJPsych Bull. 2017;41(6):366-367. doi:10.1192/pb.41.6.366a

Beeney JE, Hallquist MN, Ellison WD, Levy KN.Self-other disturbance in borderline personality disorder: Neural, self-report, and performance-based evidence.Personal Disord. 2016;7(1):28-39. doi:10.1037/per0000127

Jeong H, Jin MJ, Hyun MH.Understanding a mutually destructive relationship between individuals with borderline personality disorder and their favorite person.Psychiatry Investig. 2022;19(12):1069-1077. doi:10.30773/pi.2022.0079

Choi-Kain LW, Finch EF, Masland SR, Jenkins JA, Unruh BT.What works in the treatment of borderline personality disorder.Curr Behav Neurosci Rep. 2017;4(1):21–30. doi:10.1007/s40473-017-0103-z

National Institute of Mental Health.Borderline personality disorder: Treatments and therapies.

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At a Glance#

Characteristics of Dichotomous Thinking#

Dichotomous Thinking and Mental Health Disorders#

Examples of Dichotomous Thinking#

Treatment of Dichotomous Thinking#

How Therapy Can Help#

Keep in Mind#