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Obsolete Mental Models

Meaning

Obsolete Mental Models are outdated, rigid, or inaccurate cognitive frameworks, including limiting beliefs and fixed mindsets, that were once adaptive but now actively hinder personal growth, decision-making, and the achievement of health goals. These models represent cognitive inertia, often manifesting as self-sabotaging behaviors or a persistent inability to integrate new, beneficial information. In a clinical context, identifying and replacing these models is a prerequisite for sustained behavioral and physiological change.