Are You Guilty of Catastrophising?
What it is, why it happens, and how to stop it.
What Is Catasprohising?
Catastrophising is when you expect the worst to happen.
For example, you go to a job interview and don’t get the job. As a result, you start thinking you’re an unworthy candidate, no one will ever hire you, and you’ll die homeless, unable to pay your bills.
Another example could be that you’re currently not getting any opportunities and might feel overlooked. Because of this, you might think you’re not good enough, that you’ll never get any chances, and your life won’t go anywhere.
Essentially, catastrophising is making a disaster of an unknown future based on current problems or setbacks. These setbacks cause you to imagine a future filled with eternal and inevitable failure and suffering. It also involves seeing situations as worse than they truly are.
It’s easy to fall into catastrophic thinking, especially in these uncertain times. Unfortunately, many of us don’t even realise when we’re doing it because we often see it as accepting ‘reality’ or preparing for certain doom.
However, in reality, every event has many possible outcomes which aren’t all bound to be terrible. Fortunately, you can become aware of catastrophic thinking and stop it from having an adverse effect on your health and life.
Why Does It Happen?
Family and Marriage therapist Emma McAdam says we catastrophise because we want to avoid uncertainty and disappointment by expecting the worst.
McAdams argues that expecting the worst invites the worst and causes you to filter your experiences through fear. Some use this fear to motivate themselves. However, McAdam warns against using fear because it’s not a sustainable motivator.
Sian Ferguson notes that catastrophising could result from brain chemistry or painful experiences. Ferguson also says those suffering anxiety, depression, and fatigue are likely to catastrophise.
How to Stop It
McAdam recommends three steps to help you avoid catastrophising:
1. Pay Attention to How You Catastrophise
When catastrophising, be aware of how you do so. For example, do you think, “I will never find work, I’ll always suffer — I’m a failure”? You also need to notice the events you catastrophise or worry about.
2. Confront Catastrophic Thoughts
Not every thought you think is true, so McAdam sees it as crucial to question what you think and not just believe it.
I think it’s also important to realise that your thoughts are based on what you fear might happen in the future and not what will actually happen. Remind yourself that no one knows what will happen, that the outcome might not be as bad as you think, and it might actually be good or at least unexpected.
3. Replace Catastrophic Thoughts
Instead of saying, “I don’t know how to do this, and I’ll fail,” McAdam suggests replacing such a thought with “That’s not true. I can find someone to help me figure it out.”
Ferguson also recommends cognitive-behavioural therapy, in which a therapist helps you replace catastrophic thoughts with rational ones.
I’d recommend you recognise these thoughts as thoughts instead of the truth. Try to see when you start identifying with the thoughts and treating them as facts.
The next step would be to accept your mental-emotional state at the present moment, and don’t try to change, deny, or escape it. Trying to do so will only make things worse. Just feel and observe without judgment.
Focusing on your breathing, the silence, or natural sounds around you helps too. Also, notice when you’re not present, i.e., thinking about the future or anything that has nothing to do with the present moment. Doing so creates space in your mind for practical solutions.
