Are you a catastrophic thinker?

What is Catastrophizing?

Catastrophising is to view a situation a lot worser than it actually is. You may think of the worst case scenario when that is actually not the case. This is not only mentally draining but can be physically exhausting. One might find themselves getting caught up in the imagined catastrophe which can lead them to missing out on what is really happening in the real world. This is not healthy. Here are some tips I have!

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How can you manage this?

• Understanding. Try to be understanding and acknowledging of the fact that life is full of challenges- This means you will have good days and bad, it doesn’t mean all days are bad.

• Recognising. Recognise your thoughts. Often we get caught up in an irrational thought pattern that can simply go in either a downward or upward spiral. When you begin to recognise what these bad thoughts are you are able to get in control of them a lot quicker.

• Stop. Put a stop to these catastrophic thoughts! Once you have recognized the thought pattern, immediately tell yourself STOP. Understand that this is a thought pattern that won’t be beneficial to you. Tell yourself NO MORE.

• Not a reality. Remember, your ‘worst case scenario’ is not a reality yet. Why not think about what a positive outcome of the situation could be rather than negative. Flip it on its head!

• Positivity. Start telling yourself positive things! You are worth so much more than these negative thoughts TELL YOURSELF SOMETHING GOOD!

• Self care. Look after yourself. Catastrophic thoughts can be managed better if you are taking care of yourself. Activities / techniques such as exercise and meditation can be great stress relievers.

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