This anxiety spell, also known as catastrophic thinking or magnifying, is a cognitive distortion that often occurs alongside anxiety and depression. One single negative thought loosens an avalanche of related anxieties.
Catastrophic thinking occurs when people have a hard time weighing the likelihood of certain outcomes and believes, that terrible or catastrophic outcomes, which are highly unlikely, seem salient or extremely likely. It can lead to a lot of suffering. It is a common problem and on some level we all do that. We all have had these experiences, where we say something to a loved one or in a meeting and suddenly we think, "Is that the end of my job, relationship, or whatever it may be." That is just a part of the human condition.
It is, however, important to recognize when this type of thinking becomes persistent and interferes with one's life. It is crucial to identify, because sometimes people are not aware that they are engaging in catastrophic thinking. People can go through life often feeling like it is a dangerous place out there and at any moment something awful can happen.
There are defences in place, that make it difficult for us to recognize catastrophic thinking, but it starts with identifying it. Holding out hope is an important step in this, because once a person is so locked into catastrophic thinking and is convinced that it can never get better, it is hard to actually take the steps to get better.
A way to cope with catastrophic thinking, that helped me personally a lot, it the 5-by-5-rule from James Altucher, "If something will not matter five years down the line, do not bother wasting more than five minutes over it."
In order to cope, I like to imagine the worst possible outcome and estimate whether that would really be so bad or whether I am overthinking it, with the help of the 5-by-5-rule.
Recognizing irrational thoughts: Catastrophic thinking often follows a distinct pattern. When someone learns to recognize these thoughts, they are better equipped to handle them.
Acknowledging that unpleasant things happen: Life is full of challenges as well as good and bad days. Having one bad day does not mean all days will be bad.
Knowing when to stop: To cease the repetitive thoughts, a person may have to say "stop!" in their head or even out loud. These words can break the stream of thoughts and help a person change the course of their thoughts.
Practicing self-care: Catastrophic thoughts are more likely to take over when someone is tired and stressed.
Positive affirmation: When it comes to catastrophic thinking a person has to believe that they can overcome their tendency to fear the worst. It may help to repeat affirmations on a regular.
Thinking about another outcome: Instead of thinking about a negative outcome, it is often helpful to focus on a positive, or even just a less-negative option. In this case, I personally find the 5-by-5-rule from James Altucher to be very helpful.
Catastrophic thinking is a common habit, that affects many people during times of stress. It does not necessarily signal a mental health condition. However, if it becomes a chronic habit or interferes with daily life and functioning, it may be a sign of depression or anxiety.
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