Understanding Cognitive Dissonance: When Your Actions and Beliefs Don't Align

You care about your health and believe in taking good care of yourself. At the same time, you think alcohol is harmful. So when you drink, you feel guilty and uncomfortable. To ease this tension, you tell yourself you're only drinking because you're stressed—giving yourself a "just this once" pass. Does this sound familiar?

In this article, we'll explore what cognitive dissonance is, how it happens, why it can be both harmful and helpful, and provide answers to questions like "What is dissonance?" and "What is cognitive dissonance?" We'll also share practical tips for reducing cognitive dissonance when you experience it. Let's get started!

What Is Cognitive Dissonance?

Cognitive dissonance isn't an illness—it's a psychological experience that can happen to anyone. It occurs when you hold two related but conflicting thoughts, beliefs, or attitudes at the same time. For example, you might value animals but also enjoy eating meat.

Psychologist Leon Festinger introduced this concept in 1957 to describe the discomfort we feel when our thoughts clash. We naturally seek consistency in our attitudes and perceptions, so when inconsistency arises, it can lead to unease.

You might experience cognitive dissonance when you learn new information that contradicts a long-held belief, or when you act in a way that goes against your values. For instance, if you're trying to save money but keep spending recklessly, an unexpected expense might trigger guilt or regret.

Since we like to see ourselves as logical and consistent, cognitive dissonance can be unsettling because it challenges our self-image and beliefs.

Signs of Cognitive Dissonance

Most people experience cognitive dissonance at some point—it's part of being human. It's an internal feeling, not something others can observe. Only you can tell if you're not living in line with your values. Here are some common signs:

• Feeling uneasy before making a decision or taking action
• Experiencing guilt, shame, or regret about past choices
• Becoming defensive about your decisions
• Feeling embarrassed and hiding your actions from others
• Justifying or rationalizing your behavior
• Avoiding certain topics or conversations
• Downplaying the risks or consequences of your actions

What Causes Cognitive Dissonance?

While anyone can experience cognitive dissonance, certain situations are more likely to trigger it:

• Forced Compliance: Doing something you disagree with due to external pressures, like your job, the law, or peer influence.
• Decision Making: Choosing between unappealing options can create discomfort, leading you to justify your choice afterward.
• New Information: Learning something that challenges your existing beliefs—for example, discovering that not all fats are unhealthy after years of avoiding them.
• Effort: Investing a lot of effort into a task that doesn't turn out well can cause dissonance, making you overvalue the outcome to justify the work.

Effects of Cognitive Dissonance

Cognitive dissonance can cause emotional distress, including anxiety, embarrassment, sadness, shame, or stress. It may also affect your self-esteem and mental well-being when you're not living in integrity with your values.

Beyond emotions, cognitive dissonance drives you to reduce discomfort through actions like:

• Avoidance: Ignoring or distracting yourself from the dissonance.
• Delegitimizing: Discrediting the source of the conflicting information.
• Justification: Making excuses or seeking confirmation for your existing beliefs (confirmation bias).

These coping mechanisms can perpetuate unhealthy behaviors. For example, if you drink alcohol despite valuing health, you might convince yourself that health risks are exaggerated or that you value drinking more than well-being.

The Positive Side of Cognitive Dissonance

Cognitive dissonance isn't always negative. Recognizing that your actions and beliefs are misaligned can motivate positive change. You can resolve dissonance by adjusting your behavior or updating your beliefs.

In one study, participants who spoke about a behavior they didn't practice felt like hypocrites but became more motivated to adopt that behavior. This shows that cognitive dissonance can encourage personal growth and alignment with your values.

For instance, repeated discomfort about drinking might lead you to seek support and cut back, bringing relief as you honor your health goals.

Tips for Resolving Cognitive Dissonance

Addressing cognitive dissonance is key to well-being. Here are effective ways to restore alignment:

• Change Your Actions: Adjust behaviors to match your beliefs. If you love animals but eat meat, consider reducing meat intake or choosing ethical alternatives.
• Change Your Thoughts: Re-evaluate the importance of certain beliefs. If dieting causes stress, focus on health benefits like energy and immunity instead of external approval.
• Change Your Perception: Quitemate your actions with self-compassion. If you can't afford organic food, acknowledge you're doing your best.

When you notice dissonance, ask yourself:

• Which beliefs or values are clashing?
• Do I need to change my behavior or my mindset?
• How intense is this discomfort? Does it involve shame or guilt?

Acknowledging dissonance can reduce its power, even though our instinct is to avoid discomfort.

Can You Get Help for Cognitive Dissonance?

Cognitive dissonance isn't a mental health disorder, so it doesn't require treatment. However, if it leads to significant distress, addiction, or impacts your work, relationships, or self-worth, seeking support from a doctor, counselor, or mental health professional can be beneficial.

Key Takeaways

Cognitive dissonance is the stress we feel when our thoughts and actions conflict. While it can lead to justification or avoidance, it can also inspire positive change to align with our values.

If you're using alcohol to cope with cognitive dissonance, consider trying Quitemate. It's a neuroscience-backed tool that has helped many people cut back on drinking and improve their emotional health.