The Thinking Bugs website started in 2020 as a resource for people looking to improve their mental health and well-being through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Visitors could find descriptions and examples of classical CBT thinking errors, also known as cognitive distortions. These are common patterns of thinking that can misrepresent reality, often leading to negative emotions and behaviors.
Today, Thinking Bugs covers not only classical CBT thinking errors but also a wider range of cognitive biases, logical fallacies, and unhelpful patterns, or thinking bugs, as we call them.
We use garden and computer metaphors to explain how these "bugs" can affect the mind and its functioning:
Garden Metaphor: The mind is like a garden, and thinking bugs are like harmful insects that can multiply and spread when left unnoticed. As bugs can take over a garden and make its plants suffer, unhelpful patterns of thought and behavior can interfere with healthier thoughts, choices, and habits. Caring for the garden means noticing these bugs early and addressing them before they cause more harm.
Computer Metaphor: Bugs are compared to errors or glitches in a computer system that disrupt performance. In the mind, these "bugs" are unhelpful thought patterns or thinking errors that can interfere with clear thinking and effective action. Just as a computer requires maintenance to fix bugs and function properly, the mind benefits from care and attention to identify and address these patterns.
Why fixing thinking bugs matters
Learning to notice and correct thinking bugs can improve how you navigate everyday life. The goal is not to eliminate every distortion or achieve a perfectly calibrated mind. It is to see more clearly, update your beliefs when the evidence changes, and choose a more effective response.
That ability can lead to better decisions, steadier emotional responses, healthier relationships, faster learning, and greater resilience. A setback becomes information rather than proof of failure; an uncomfortable feeling becomes something to examine rather than an instruction you must obey. Small corrections can compound over time as better choices create better opportunities to learn and adapt.
The number of bugs you have “fixed” is not a useful score. Many named patterns overlap, and constant self-correction can become its own trap if it turns into the belief that you must perfect yourself to be worthy, successful, or happy. Progress is better measured in real life: Are your decisions improving? Do you recover from mistakes sooner? Are your work, health, and relationships benefiting?
Awareness is the first step, but it becomes useful when it changes what you do next. Reframing is one practical way to make that shift: capture the thought, identify the bug, check it against the evidence, and write a more balanced response.
Reframing App
To help people identify and work through negative thought patterns, we created the Reframing App, inspired by classical CBT journaling techniques. It is a tool for capturing and reframing thoughts in more balanced and constructive ways. By using the app, people can learn to recognize thinking bugs in their own thoughts and practice rewriting them. Whether you want to learn more about cognitive distortions or apply CBT techniques in everyday life, the Thinking Bugs website and the Reframing App are complementary resources.
The app is a modern, digital version of classical CBT practice. It draws on the thought records developed through the cognitive therapy work of Aaron T. Beck and the mood-logging techniques described and popularized by David D. Burns.
How we use AI
Thinking Bugs began with human-written descriptions of classical CBT thinking errors. Over time, the catalog grew into a larger writing system that uses human direction, structured article rules, source checks, and AI-assisted drafting and revision.
In 2026, the Thinking Bugs website was rebuilt using Cursor and multiple AI models, including ChatGPT 5.6 Sol, Fable 5, and Grok models. These tools helped us implement the Computer and Garden themes, create distinct bug avatars, expand the catalog, and develop its classification and rating systems.
Different models can be useful at different stages: outlining a page, testing whether a concept overlaps with an existing bug, generating everyday examples, challenging vague claims, checking tone, or improving a reframing exercise. Making the process visible helps readers and contributors understand how the catalog is shaped and improved.
Each article follows editorial rules: describe the pattern without shaming the reader, use concrete examples, stay careful with psychological claims, and connect it to related thinking bugs.
Writing Playbook
Read the Thinking Bugs writing playbook for the full editorial process.
Here is the current authorship breakdown across the catalog. Written is the first draft. Revised means a later model or contributor rewrote or reviewed the page. An article can appear under more than one model or contributor.
| Model | Written | Revised | Articles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grok 4.5 | 33 | 123 | 156 |
| ChatGPT 4.4 | 22 | 97 | 119 |
| ChatGPT 4o | 84 | 0 | 84 |
| Grok 4.7 | 71 | 13 | 84 |
| ChatGPT 5.6 Sol | 0 | 58 | 58 |
| Fable 5 | 11 | 2 | 13 |
| ChatGPT 4 | 0 | 13 | 13 |
| Claude Opus 4.8 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Fable 5.1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| ChatGPT 5.5 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Gemini 4 Argon | 0 | 1 | 1 |
We strive to provide the most accurate and helpful information possible. If you find unclear wording, missing nuance, weak examples, or possible inaccuracies, please let us know.
Contact
Contact us at [email protected]
Disclaimer
The ideas and suggestions provided are not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult your physician or a qualified healthcare provider regarding any matters related to your health.