Checking facts

Critical distinction between reality and perception.

The "Check the Facts" strategy addresses a common cognitive tendency: confusing thoughts and assumptions with objective reality.

Often, the intensity of an emotional response comes not from the event itself, but from the catastrophic or distorted interpretation of it.

For example, if someone receives criticism in the workplace, the emotion of extreme embarrassment does not necessarily arise from the comment, but from the automatic thought "I am incompetent and I am going to be fired".

This tool invites you to stop the automatic process and examine the evidence as an impartial detective would.

One must ask: What is the exact triggering event? What interpretations am I adding? Are there other possible explanations? By separating the bare facts from the layers of judgment and assumption, the emotional charge usually decreases significantly, allowing for a clearer and less threatening view of the environment.

Emotional Adjustment Assessment

Once the facts have been identified, the next step is to assess whether the emotion felt and its intensity are justified by those facts.

This does not imply invalidating the feeling, but rather analyzing its usefulness and proportionality.

Is the perceived threat real or imagined? If fear is the present emotion, is there an imminent vital or significant danger? If anger, has a boundary transgression actually occurred or an important goal been blocked? Often, it is discovered that the emotion is a response to a "fact" that exists only in the mind (such as assuming rejection of someone without evidence).

If the emotion fits the facts, then the appropriate action is problem solving.

However, if the emotion is based on erroneous assumptions or its intensity is disproportionate to the actual situation, then changing the emotional response through other regulatory techniques is required.

Adjusting the response to the verified reality

The ultimate goal is to align the internal and behavioral reaction with the verified reality.

If after analysis it is concluded that the situation is not as serious as initially felt, work is done to reduce the physiological and cognitive activation.

For example, if you feel social anxiety before a meeting thinking that everyone will judge negatively, and the facts show that it is a routine meeting with friendly colleagues, you should adjust your expectation and body tension according to a safe environment.

Treating thoughts as hypotheses ("assumptions") rather than absolute truths ("facts") relaxes the mind.

This prevents the escalation of unnecessary conflict and suffering derived from imaginary scenarios, allowing the person to act effectively based on what is actually happening, not on their fears or past projections.

Summary

The "Check the Facts" strategy addresses the tendency to confuse subjective thoughts with objective reality. Often, the emotional intensity stems from distorted interpretations that require impartial verification, not the event itself.

Once the facts have been identified, an assessment is made as to whether the emotion and its intensity are justified by the actual situation. If the threat is imagined or disproportionate, the emotion does not fit and requires changing the regulatory response.

The goal is to align the internal and behavioral reaction with the reality verified by logical analysis. Treating thoughts as flexible hypotheses prevents the escalation of unnecessary conflict based on unfounded projections or fears.