Ashima Sharda Mahindra • 09 Aug 2024
What Is Catastrophizing And How Do You Stop Doing It?
While catastrophizing is a symptom of anxiety and depression, it can be treated through therapy, mindfulness, medications, and self-care
When you get fixated on the worst-possible outcomes and treat them like some sort of disaster even when it is not - it leads to catastrophizing. According to experts, it is a mental health issue that worsens both physical and mental health outcomes. Even though the exact cause of catastrophic thinking is unknown some researchers theorize that it may stem from trauma or other underlying health conditions.
Ways to manage catastrophic thinking
According to experts, catastrophizing is a symptom of anxiety, depression, insomnia, and chronic pain. But thankfully, it is treatable through therapy, mindfulness, medications, and self-care as well.
To manage to catastrophize, many experts use cognitive behavioural therapy or CBT to promote mindfulness of catastrophic thinking, recognizing one’s actions, and managing and correcting irrational thinking. A few ways to accomplish this include:
Talk therapy
Apart from CBT, different types of therapy are helpful in treating catastrophizing, which include:
- Acceptance and commitment therapy or ACT, helps make you feel comfortable and break the cycle of intrusive thoughts.
- Dialectical behavioral therapy or DBT is modeled on CBT and emphasizes self-acceptance and learning to regulate emotions.
Mindfulness
It is important to practice mindfulness which is effective for treating pain catastrophizing. Mindfulness helps you stay in the moment and experience thoughts in an open and nonjudgmental manner. The technique also helps to stop negative and overthinking.
Recognizing your irrational thoughts
Since there is always a pattern involved in catastrophizing, it is important to understand it so that the next time you get the same kinds of intrusive thoughts, you are better equipped to handle them.
Medications
When therapy does not work on its own, a psychiatrist prescribes anti-anxiety medication, which affects chemical signaling in the brain to help with issues of underlying anxiety or depression.
Journaling
Journaling helps you write down your experiences and thoughts and evaluate them to find a pattern later.
Social support
Talking to a friend or a close confidant provides extra mental health support that you may need to feel secure and loved.
What are the common signs and symptoms of catastrophizing?
A few signs and symptoms of catastrophizing include:
- Persistent worry that leads to anxiety
- Repeated thoughts over and over
- The feeling of despair and helplessness
- Overthinking all situations
- Feeling overwhelmed
- Negative thoughts
What causes catastrophizing?
According to studies, a few potential reasons for catastrophizing are:
Depression
It may cause you to ruminate negative feelings, leading to having disastrous thoughts
Anxiety
High levels of anxiety increase a person’s risk of catastrophizing
BIS-BAS dysregulation
It is the behavioral inhibition system and behavioral approach system are two theoretical systems used to regulate impulses and anxiety
Interoceptive sensitivity
When you notice small changes happening in your body because of intrusive thoughts, it leads to interoceptive sensitivity.
Trauma
In many people, childhood trauma may induce catastrophizing and high levels of anxiety.
Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from Mental Health, Health and around the world.