David D. Burns

Learn to accept your limits and you'll become a happier person.

— David D. Burns

Guilt is not the best way to remedy your mistakes.

— David D. Burns

“When you confront the monster you”

— David D. Burns

When you change the way you think, you can change the way you feel.

— David D. Burns

Kindness is the cause of all anxiety.

— David D. Burns

Depression is an illness and not a necessary part of healthy living.

— David D. Burns

Accept yourself. But realize your behaviors can be bad.

— David D. Burns

Forgiving yourself, not guilt, increases personal accountability.

— David D. Burns

“Much everyday anger results when we confuse our own personal wants with general moral codes.”

— David D. Burns

“There is only one person who could ever make you happy, and that person is you.”

— David D. Burns

“The attitude that depression is necessary strikes me as destructive, inhuman, and victimizing.”

— David D. Burns

The best way to confront your fears it to stop avoiding the situation you're most afraid of.

— David D. Burns

“Oxygen is a need, but love is a want. I repeat: LOVE IS NOT AN ADULT HUMAN NEED!”

— David D. Burns

Guilt serves a powerful social function in terms of policing our behavior.

— David D. Burns

Perfectionism becomes a badge of honor with you playing the part of the suffering hero.

— David D. Burns

“No one has a moral or legal obligation to credit me for my cleverness or praise my good efforts on their behalf.”

— David D. Burns

“Ask people for suggestions on how to improve, and if they're going to reject you for being imperfect, let them do it…

— David D. Burns

Perfection' is man's ultimate illusion. It simply doesn't exist in the universe… If you are a perfectionist, you are guaranteed to be…

— David D. Burns

“know about the brain's hardware and software. How does the firing of a nerve or a series of nerves get translated into…

— David D. Burns

“If you can answer yes, then you are clearly motivated to change. You will probably succeed in gaining greater inner peace and…

— David D. Burns

I have been amazed by the interest in cognitive behavioral therapy that has developed since 'Feeling Good' was first published in 1980.…

— David D. Burns

“Your orbit is certainly big and fancy in comparison with mine. But I don't understand how that makes you a better person…

— David D. Burns

Most mental health professionals, including clinicians and researchers, endorse the deficit theory. They're convinced that we wage war simply because we don't…

— David D. Burns

One of the most interesting things about the cognitive theory is the idea that anger and interpersonal conflict ultimately result from a…

— David D. Burns

More often than not, the belief that you are bad contributes to the "bad" behavior. Change and learning occur most readily when…

— David D. Burns

People who expect to feel guilty tend to be more sympathetic, to put themselves into other people's shoes, to think about the…

— David D. Burns

Surprisingly, it's forgiveness, not guilt, that increases accountability. Researchers have found that taking a self-compassionate point of view on a personal failure…

— David D. Burns

Most therapists do not appear to know how to pinpoint and reverse therapeutic resistance - to head it off at the pass.…

— David D. Burns

“So remember three crucial steps when you are upset: Zero in on those automatic negative thoughts and write them down. Don't let…

— David D. Burns

“It can work the other way as well. I have worked with many depressed patients who were still stuck after I had…

— David D. Burns

Practically everybody knows what it's like to feel anxious, worried, nervous, afraid, uptight, or panicky. Often, anxiety is just a nuisance, but…

— David D. Burns

It can be helpful simply to make a written or mental list of the things you do each day. Then give yourself…

— David D. Burns

“Table 3–1. Definitions of Cognitive Distortions 1. ALL-OR-NOTHING THINKING: You see things in black-and-white categories. If your performance falls short of perfect,…

— David D. Burns

“The increased risk for bipolar illness among identical twins is even true if the identical twins are separated at birth and raised…

— David D. Burns

“Let me explain why. "Perfection" is man's ultimate illusion. It simply doesn't exist in the universe. There is no perfection. It's really…

— David D. Burns

“golden opportunity to learn to cope with criticism and anger effectively. This came as a complete surprise to me; I hadn't realized…

— David D. Burns

“Your sense of paralysis will be intensified if your family and friends are in the habit of pushing and cajoling you. Their…

— David D. Burns

“When you are depressed, you may have a tendency to confuse feeling with facts. Your feelings of hopelessness and total despair are…

— David D. Burns

Reaching for the stars, perfectionists may end up clutching at air.

— David D. Burns

“Remember that as the drug begins to work, you will feel less suicidal.”

— David D. Burns