Catastrophizing: How to Stop Making Yourself Depressed and Anxious: Cognitive Distortion Skill #6

In this video, we’re going to talk about catastrophizing- expecting the worst! Catastrophizing is an excellent way to make yourself anxious and depressed and completely ruin your life! Oh yeah, and I’m going to teach you 3 things you can do to stop catastrophizing.
What is Catastrophizing:
Catastrophizing is a common cognitive distortion, or thinking error. It’s when we think of a current or future situation as a catastrophe. So for example, you worry that you’re going to fail a test. Then you imagine what would happen when you do fail- you’re going to get kicked out of school, end up working a dead end job, fail at life at life and die homeless on the street. And all this because of a test at school.

Catastrophizing is imagining the worst. It’s taking a difficult situation and interpreting it as being horrible, terrible, and unrecoverable. We’ve all known that person who, if they got a “B” on a test wailed “I’m failing Math class”. Many of us have had that parent who, when we didn’t want to do our chores they said something like “If you don’t do your chores, your college roommates will hate you and no one will want to marry you.”

Like in the story about the jack, Catastrophizing often starts with a genuine setback, like getting a flat tire in the middle of nowhere, but then the thinking error turns that reality into the belief that something horrible is bound to happen- “I’m going to get shot, attacked and robbed!”.

At its root, catastrophizing is about our habitual response to challenges or shortcomings. So take a second, pause this video and ask yourself: How do you think about failure?

Catastrophizing is a thinking error (aka cognitive distortion) that makes you anxious, depressed, and unmotivated.

Therapy in a Nutshell, LLC, and the information provided by Emma McAdam are solely intended for informational and entertainment purposes and are not a substitute for advice, diagnosis, or treatment regarding medical or mental health conditions. Although Emma McAdam is a licensed marriage and family therapist, the views expressed on this site or any related content should not be taken for medical or psychiatric advice. Always consult your physician before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health.

About Me:
I’m Emma McAdam. I’m a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and I have worked in various settings of change and growth since 2004. My experience includes juvenile corrections, adventure therapy programs, wilderness therapy programs, an eating disorder treatment center, a residential treatment center, and I currently work in an outpatient therapy clinic.

In therapy I use a combination of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Systems Theory, positive psychology, and a bio-psycho-social approach to treating mental illness and other challenges we all face in life. The ideas from my videos are frequently adapted from multiple sources. Many of them come from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, especially the work of Steven Hayes, Jason Luoma, and Russ Harris. The sections on stress and the mind-body connection derive from the work of Stephen Porges (the Polyvagal theory), Peter Levine (Somatic Experiencing) Francine Shapiro (EMDR), and Bessel Van Der Kolk. I also rely heavily on the work of the Arbinger institute for my overall understanding of our ability to choose our life's direction.

Copyright Therapy in a Nutshell, LLC
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[dr.karidouglas]

Anxiety happens when you think you have to figure out everything all at once . Breathe . You're strong . You got this . Take it day by day .

[Lala-bobloblaw]

My brain literally makes up stuff to worry about. Some of it is not even a likelihood, but my dumb brain just goes there.

[xmx]

The trouble with catastrophizing thinking is, if it’s learned by years of worse case scenarios actually happening to you…your brain tends to rationalize the pattern of thinking. “You didn’t think This and That could happen but it did!”
Unlearning this fear and constant survival mode can feel almost impossible. Taking it one day at time, trying to live in the present.

[karen]

I broke the catastrophizing pattern by realising that I catastrophize as a form of coping mechanism to not feel failure. the hard part was facing failures and being ok with being sad and realising that it is ok and temporary. Only when you can accept and sit with the sadness then can you face life at its radical truth and move on next

[mollypaintscows]

I’m 68 yrs old. I have recently learned to use these techniques. It’s never ending, but I am able to stay calm, breathe and stay out of the ER from a panic attack. 😂 You’re never too old to learn and change. ❤

[unknown-lfzx]

This lady is so comforting! Pray for me…really struggling

[alliekuma]

I have a panic disorder and lost my last job because of it. Today is the first day of my new job. Thank you for this video 🙏

[dawnofthedelts]

Catastrophizing is a defense mechanism in my experience. It keeps you "stuck" and doesn't allow you to move forward. I think of it as the Shoe-Drop Syndrome, where you just EXPECT the worst to happen. Because for many of us, at some point, the worst HAS happened. It's taken me a while to come to this realization, and it stems from losing my sister, along with other stressors that have occurred within a span of a few years. It's been...very difficult, to say the least.

[Mind-Vue]

"You don't have to control your thoughts. You just have to stop letting them control you." - Dan Millman

[rubin-healmysocialanxiety]

“If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.”
― Marcus Aurelius

[hyjuoev]

How to stop catastrophizing begins at 10:37

[anapaulatavares]

"Start with a good night's rest" well, easy to say when you dont keep up at night because of compulsive catastrophic thoughts

[freebear]

I feel like the thinking that something is truly wrong with you health wise is one of the worst feelings. It's hard to pull yourself from these catastrophic thoughts.

[jonpicojones]

I have personally found mindfulness, not judging thoughts as “good” or “bad” to be helpful in allowing uncomfortable thoughts into my mental space without being consumed by them. Just to see them for what they are, thoughts, and feelings.

[Bozojimmy]

Key point i catastrophize because we are afraid of facing the feelings we might get if the worst happens.

[yvonneneal]

I needed this today. I had a panic attack last night about several things that I've been anxious about lately.

[mymentorjane]

Yes! I talk about it as “If..then what?” thinking. For each “If this happens” answer, “Then what will I do?” and play that out until you realize that you will find a solution or a next step. It builds strength, hope, optimism.

[keshav]

I got into the habit of catastrophizing (real bad ) during the most important exam of my life and I didn’t get the marks needed to get into college of my choice but your video did helped me overcome this habit and to think clearly for which i am really grateful, ma’am … please keep posting these videos…you are a gem 💎

[adeo]

I just wish I knew this 15 years ago. I have had elements of joy in my life but experienced so much pain - not been able to enjoy the blessings God has brought my way and not living to my fullest extent. For the first time a few years ago I learnt the word but did not pay attention to it. I believe my journey has started and it’s a new season. I am not going to lie it feels much harder as an adult with responsibilities but it has to be done now for the future that I want. For everyone on this journey please stay at it. Everybody’s deserves to live a full life and rest in your heart

[cece]

I have severe anxiety. I have been thinking this way for years. I never even knew catastrophizing was a thing. Thank you for this video. I feel like I have some hope now knowing I can work on my thought process ❤