Combat anxiety: Overcoming 'catastrophic thinking'

What is "catastrophic thinking"?

"Catastrophic thinking is a tendency to envision the worst possible outcomes in situations with a high risk of something bad happening, despite there being many other more probable outcomes," explains the psychologist.

A person prone to catastrophizing may have a dysfunctional schema: expecting catastrophe.

It is formed through:

• traumatic experiences and stressful events in childhood
• lack of secure attachment in childhood
• overprotection by parents, limiting independence
• parents modeling hyperanxiety
• an anxious temperament

How to overcome anxiety and "catastrophic thinking"

"Thoughts are the most common cause of anxiety. The ability to think, analyze, and predict is a tremendous asset. However, sometimes thoughts turn against us and lead to anxiety. That's why when working with anxiety, we're working with thoughts," says the expert.

The "thought stopping" technique:

• step 1 - When you notice thoughts that usually accompany anxiety, ask yourself, "Is this thought helpful?" "Does it make me feel better?"
• step 2 - If the answers are "no," close your eyes and imagine a "STOP" sign
• step 3 - Then, focus on grounding yourself, concentrate on yourself. Breathe calmly, take a few slow breaths.
• step 4 - Think, "What is really happening here?" "What am I doing?"
• step 5 - Do something that will help you feel better: try to rebuild the thought, rephrase the idea, take a walk, talk to your partner, have a cup of tea. Do something that will help you distract yourself.

To get rid of catastrophic thinking, answer the following questions:

• What am I predicting, what am I fearing?
• How likely is such a development of events?
• Are there other possible outcomes?
• Have I made such predictions in the past?
• Have these predictions come true in the past?
• What are other potential outcomes?
• What are the consequences of believing in such thoughts?
• How does this affect my emotions and behavior?
• What would be the consequences of shifting towards more realistic thinking?

This material is for informational purposes only and should not be used for medical diagnosis or self-treatment. Our goal is to provide readers with accurate information about symptoms, causes, and methods of detecting diseases. RBС-Ukraine is not responsible for any diagnoses that readers may make based on materials from the resource. We do not recommend self-treatment and advise consulting a doctor in case of any health concerns.