Put a STOP to catastrophizing
It’s too bad we aren’t equiped as people with warning lights. “Danger, anxiety levels are reaching catestrophic proportions!
Mental catastrophizing occurs when a thought enters the brain, followed by another thought about what might occur, followed by an even worsening series of thoughts. Until one perceives that the situation is unbearable or catestrophic.
Here is an example:
You have a conversation with your partner leaving you both in disagreement. As stress levels rise, you feel as though you are not being heard or listened to. You eventually leave the situation without closure. Your mind continues to dwell on the previous encounter and eventually jumps to the conclusion that “he/she is probably going to break up with me, leave me or abandon me.” In reality, it may be a situation that needs more time to for both of you to process what was said. There may be a whole list of reasons why you may be in disagreement, but one or both of the parties somehow jumps to the conclusion that the “worst” is about to happen. This is an example of catestrophic thinking.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) coupled with stress reduction techniques are effective ways of countering catestrophic beliefs.
First, give your body permission to take a “time out.” Your brain will be able to think more clearly if your body is calm and relaxed when you revisit the conversation at a later date.
Second, counter your thoughts with an opposite action. Instead of saying to yourself, “he/she doesn’t love me anymore,” look at other positive possiblities and run those through your mind. Maybe he/she is tired, or having a bad day in general. Maybe a cold or the flu is coming on. Maybe it is a situation where the two of you may agree to disagree.
By countering the onslaught of catestrophic thinking, anxiety levels will have time to come down allowing the higher reasoning area of your brain to become more accessible.
Putting a stop to the spiral of negative thinking will allow give you the necessary time and energy to analyse the situation more clearly.
Try it next time you’re feeling like the “end” is near.
