Catastrophizing is thinking the worst-case scenario is what is going to happen. This could be related to a person or a situation. Odds are you’ve done it at some point, but for some people, it is their default way of thinking. In general it includes overthinking a situation, not balancing the good with the bad, and doubting ones ability to handle the situation. These thoughts can dominate people’s minds so it is important to learn how to stop this way of thinking and mitigate the anxiety it contributes to.
How Did I Start Catastrophizing?
Catastrophizing can be a learned behaviour, but more often than not, it is a coping mechanism. It is common in people that experienced trauma early in their lives, as well as individuals struggling with anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). But it can also happen to individuals when they experience any major change in their life that is perceived negatively. This could be losing a loved one, not being accepted into a college of choice, losing your job, a medical diagnosis, and so on. You also see it manifest when people feel overly tired, are experiencing pain, or dealing with excessive stress.
It creates a pattern of fearing the worst in every situation, and that one bad thing will lead to a string of bad outcomes, which you will pay the price for. This is a result of feeling like you have no control over your life. This is a fixed mindset of thinking you have no say in what happens to you. Long-term, this is detrimental to your mental health. Prolonged catastrophizing can lead people to feel helpless and lose hope. They live in fear, and unfortunately miss out on many of life’s great experiences.
Ways To Stop Catastrophizing
Before you can stop this thought pattern, you first need to recognize that you are doing it. Some people don’t realize this is the case because they think they are being prepared for all scenarios. But this mindset is only giving you a false sense of control. In reality, it is priming your thoughts to focus on the bad, and sometimes, this can also lead to minimizing. This is another cognitive distortion where you reduce the importance of good things that happen to you.
Once you have realized you have catastrophic thoughts about people or life situations, find ways to change your thought patterns. Below are some key self care techniques to help you change your behaviour and outlook.
Practice mindfulness or meditation
These habits help reduce overall stress. When you find yourself engaging in catastrophic thoughts, you can deploy these habits to deescalate the situation. It can be as simple as stopping and focusing on your breathing.
Jot it down
Write your thoughts out to assess if those outcomes will truly be likely. Sometimes seeing them in this way can shed more light on the situation. This can also help you plan on what to do next, which may reduce your anxiety over the situation.
Confront the situation
Facing our fears helps us prepare for those dreaded outcomes. What about the situation is causing you the most stress? If it were to become reality, how could you handle it? By preparing yourself, you can sometimes see that you are capable of a lot more than you think.
Pass on control & perfectionism
Life is messy and not fair. We will always be exposed to people or situations that are not what we wanted in our lives. That is reality. By accepting that we can’t be perfect, nor that we can control everything, then life gets easier. Learning to get back up is a part of the game. Much of those desires to be at the top rest in judgement and tend to not have a basis in fact.
Establish your self care pillars
Rest, exercise, nutrition, and connecting with others are core to you having a better balanced life. By having your body and soul taken care of, you can handle daily challenges better, regardless of how big they are.
Seek help from the experts
If you are struggling with catastrophizing and can’t stop on your own, reach out for help. This behaviour often accompanies mental health conditions that can make this difficult to conquer on your own. These conditions tend to have treatments that can help your overall well-being. One of the main methods you will be guided through in therapy is reframing your thoughts. But each one of us is unique and by working with an expert, they can help you identify what you need to work on.
Catastrophic thoughts don’t serve you.
Catastrophic thinking is not beneficial to your mental health. Don’t be fooled by feelings of control that it can bring you, you are better off facing those challenges head-on. By understanding what it is and why you are doing it, you can then start to find ways to counter it. By engaging in regular self care practices, you are supporting your ability to handle daily challenges and bigger stressors when they come up. Remember that you are only human and that life can be messy. Finding ways to see the beauty in things goes a long way in reframing negative thoughts, and helps you minimize catastrophizing.
IMAGE CREDIT: Pexels | Andrea Piacquadio.