Imagine you have an interview for a new job tomorrow. Some people might think about what kind of questions they will be asked so that they can prepare, or imagine the interview going well. For others, the thought of an interview will cause them to toss and turn all night thinking of every worst-case scenario possible—no matter how outlandish these may be. If you’re someone who has a tendency to do the latter, you are prone to catastrophizing.
Catastrophizing comes from the belief that by imagining what might go wrong, we’re better able to protect ourselves from harm—both physical and mental. However, this tendency is only helpful if you’re able to correctly predict what will happen in a certain situation and how it will make you feel.
On the flip side, people who catastrophize about what might go wrong are less likely to try new things. And when they do try something new, they are more likely to notice what has gone wrong. This will be stored in their memory and will add to the reasons why they we shouldn’t try new things in the future. As a result, catastrophizing can lead to undue stress and anxiety and may stop you from doing the things you might enjoy or learn from.
If you’re someone who tends to catastrophize when stressed or anxious, there are a few things that you can do to help:
When this happens, try imagining your inner critic as if you were looking through someone else’s eyes. What language do you use and would you use this language when talking about someone else in a similar situation? Is the language your inner critic uses helpful or justified? Often the answers to these questions will be no. Be conscious of the language your inner critic is using when you’re worried or stressed. If it’s overly harsh, try to switch to a kinder way of speaking to yourself.
Even if things have gone wrong in the past, this is unlikely to be the case in the future—despite what we might tell ourselves. If you have a tendency to catastrophize about future events, try to think instead about ways in which this event might go well, which may help you to feel less anxious.
Another strategy is to make up not just one, but a number of plausible stories about what might happen. This may help to remind you that the stories you’re telling yourself are just that—stories. Choosing to focus on the stories with a positive outcome might also help you to feel less worried or stressed.
Try to be more compassionate toward yourself when considering your future. This is more difficult than you might imagine—even for people who are very compassionate and empathetic to others.
Planning for ways in which things might go wrong in the future does serve a purpose—and that is to keep us safe. But if you often find that you catastrophize by thinking of all the worst case scenarios—especially to the detriment of your own mental health—it can be important to remind yourself that the things you’re worrying about may never happen, and, if they do, they will probably turn out much better than you think.