It is human nature to assume the worst. When our anxieties take hold of us, and we run away with the sense that when something goes wrong, everything will go wrong, we tend to act in ways that aren’t conducive to a good life or constructive discourse. Yet, it feels unavoidable. When there are difficult times, it just seems like our brains are desperate to fixate on the worst possible outcome constantly.
Although catastrophizing can be useful in some very specific scenarios, the reality is that most of the time catastrophizing leads only to panicked decision-making and reduced cognition. Students studying an online MSW program and on the track to becoming social workers, as well as people studying nursing or training for the emergency services, all need to be able to rise above their instincts. If these vital workers were to allow their catastrophic trains of thought to take over on the job, it would spell disaster.
Therefore, it is important to understand how to get a hold of catastrophizing thoughts, control the natural urge to assume the worst, and return full cognitive capacity back to your own power and control.
What Is Catastrophizing?
We’ve all been in difficult scenarios: a loved one in the hospital, a message from a romantic partner that says, “We need to talk,” a forgotten event. Bad things happen all the time; they’re a part of life, but when people frequently believe that these situations will inevitably escalate into the worst versions of themselves, this is called “catastrophizing.”
As we stated earlier, people are famously catastrophizing creatures. We have a natural tendency to assume the worst, but even this is usually just an instinctual thought that is relatively easy to dissolve with reason and logic. However, when a person’s catastrophizing thought patterns lack any such control, this is when it becomes a severe issue.
Catastrophizing like this is usually because a person has some form of trauma or mental illness, such as an anxiety disorder, where the brain interprets the negative situation as one that the person is inherently ill-equipped or unable to handle, or that the situation will inevitably turn into its worst possible outcome. As a result, the brain sends the person into a panic or makes them hyperaware of the situation and what its worst possible outcome is to protect the person, offering them increased awareness and, therefore, more time to prepare. The irony is that this kind of thinking leaves people unable to plan effectively. This is why it is so important to learn how to control a catastrophising brain.
How to Stop (or Control) Catastrophizing
There are some very useful tools for stopping or gaining control over catastrophizing thoughts, and although they are all useful, depending on the reason for catastrophizing thoughts, people may find one method or a combination of methods more effective than others.
Medical Therapy
Intense catastrophizing can be caused by a number of chronic conditions, including depression, major depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, PTSD, BPD, and any other number of mental illnesses that affect general mood and cognitive performance. Many of these illnesses benefit from anti-depressant medications, as they regulate the distribution of neurochemicals in the brain and assist with managing racing thoughts.
Therapy and Counseling
Therapies and counseling are a tremendous help to people who experience chronic and ongoing catastrophic thoughts, whether they suffer from a mental illness or not. Catastrophizing thought processes that are uncontrollable can often be alleviated with a safe environment in which someone can vent safely. When we don’t deal with thoughts, they have a tendency to gather and snowball. Counseling provides people with a safe and consistent environment where they can alleviate this mental pressure. In more severe circumstances, CBT and other forms of psychotherapy prove very useful.
Mindfulness
In recent years, mindfulness practices such as meditation, yoga, and affirmations have garnered a lot of positive attention due to their effectiveness, cheap cost (free!), and ease of use. Mindfulness exercises have proven very effective in helping people manage anxious thoughts, reactionary impulses, and catastrophizing. Regular use of mindfulness techniques goes a long way to helping people manage their negative thought patterns, and the benefits of mindfulness are well documented.
The Worst-Case Scenario
It is important to remember, above all things, that catastrophic thoughts or feelings are just that, thoughts and feelings. This isn’t meant to dismiss your thoughts or problems, only to remind you that although your thoughts and feelings are valid, they aren’t necessarily true, and even if they are, there is always something that you can do to make any problem better. The worst-case scenario rarely ever comes to light, and there is strength to be gained in knowing that, thus far, you have survived 100% of your worst days.
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