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Catastrophizing is to imagine the worst possible outcome of an action or event : to think about a situation or event as being a catastrophe or having a potentially catastrophic outcome. Is catastrophising a mental illness? Catastrophising is not officially categorised as a mental illness, however, it is a symptom of several mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression.
It is also a symptom that antagonises mental health disorders and conditions such as PTSD and makes them more severe. “Catastrophic thinking is a cognitive distortion that occurs when people have a hard time weighing the likelihood of certain outcomes and believe that terrible or catastrophic outcomes—which are highly unlikely—become, in one’s mind, salient and extremely likely.
Catastrophic thinking is often a symptom of an underlying mental health condition, such as anxiety or depression. Though it can be hard to tell when you’re spiraling with your thinking, there are some signs to look for: You have general feelings of depression, anxiety, or pessimism. You have racing thoughts. Getting enough rest and engaging in stress-relieving techniques, such as exercise, meditation, and journaling, can all help a person feel better.
Catastrophizing has been linked to a number of adverse experiences and behaviors, including anxiety, depression, and anger-related problems. Trauma during childhood but not adulthood affects pain catastrophizing. Emotional trauma is the most impactful in this association. Trauma has no impact on anxiety sensitivity. Catastrophizing is a tendency to assume the worst will happen when imagining a future situation—even if you have evidence that this is not the most likely outcome.
People who like to feel in control (and are therefore intolerant of uncertainty) are more likely to catastrophize. Medications may also be used to treat underlying disorders that cause catastrophizing, such as Benzodiazepines*, SSRIs**, and SNRIs**. These are often used to target symptoms of anxiety and depression. That being said, there is no medication that specifically treats catastrophizing.
Calm yourself by slowing down your breathing and taking long belly breaths. Deep breathing also helps you practice mindfulness, return from worst-case future fears, and hone-in on the present moment. It can be a symptom of anxiety or depression. For example, someone might worry that they’ll fail an exam. From there, they might assume that failing an exam means they’re a bad student and bound to never pass, get a degree, or find a job.
They might conclude that this means they’ll never be financially stable. Catastrophizing is a form of thinking that occurs when someone magnifies the importance of an adverse event or situation and believes the worst will happen. Catastrophizing can lead to high levels of anxiety, depression, and stress. It can also make it difficult to concentrate or make decisions.
It’s the most common reaction we have to uncertain situations. Our brains interpret uncertainty as danger, which is why — in our minds — a typo at work turns into us being fired or a failed test turns into us dropping out of school. Thanks to our ancient ancestors, our brains are designed to expect the worst. We might catastrophize if we’re uncertain about something because the brain is adept at creating plenty of “What if?” scenarios.
Meanwhile, negative emotions like fear and anxiety can “amplify our cognitive biases,” says Joshi, making us more pessimistic. This can make us more likely to catastrophize. If so, you may have a type of anxiety disorder called generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). GAD can make daily life feel like a constant state of worry, fear, and dread. The good news is GAD is treatable. Learn more about the symptoms of GAD and how to find help.
It is also known as health anxiety or hypochondriasis. It is normal for people to worry about their health now and then. But people who experience hypochondria become very worried that they are seriously ill or are about to become seriously ill, even if they have only mild symptoms. Thought-stopping techniques: when you notice that you’re beginning to catastrophise, mentally tell yourself “stop!”.
Then try to shift your focus to something positive or neutral, or go off and do something to keep you busy and distract you from your thoughts. Over the past few years, research has shown that catastrophic thinking can render us more vulnerable to many other mental illnesses – including post-traumatic stress disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder, and even certain kinds of psychoses. Catastrophic thinking can even exacerbate feelings of physical pain.
You can decrease overthinking by engaging in activities you enjoy. This may look different for everyone, but some ideas include: learning some new kitchen skills by tackling a new recipe. going to your favorite workout class. What Causes Catastrophic Thinking? At the root of catastrophic thinking are fear and low self-esteem. We believe we are incapable of handling problems and imagine ourselves helpless.
Those who struggle with catastrophic thinking most likely dealt with a traumatic childhood. Another method that I have found to be increasingly helpful but more difficult to grasp when it comes to insomnia is countering the catastrophizing by pushing it to its limit. When you start worrying, introduce the mantra of “to hell with it all,” so you can find peace in your worries. Dichotomous thinking, also known as black-and-white thinking.
When your thought patterns assign people, things, and actions into one of two categories – “good” or “bad”. Black-and-white thinking is part of a group of thinking patterns called cognitive distortions, it’s sometimes referred to as “splitting.”
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