How to stop catastrophising

Last week I lost my mobile on a girls’ night out and, despite using “Find My iPhone” and making calls and visits to everywhere I’d been, there was no sign of it.

Having spoken to my mobile provider and insurance company, my mind went straight into fast-forward to imagine the worst.

Whoever found my phone would post all my pictures on social media, then they’d find my passwords and bank details and wipe out my savings account, etc. The wave of negative worrying was carrying me forward to one catastrophe after another. Logically, I should have realised that this was unlikely to happen, but once you’ve gone down the negative thinking route, it can be hard to change direction.

Catastrophising is when we believe something is worse than it actually is, or imagine the worst possible outcome and start to react as though it is already true.

There are two main types:

1. The first is taking a current situation and putting a negative spin on it. For example, making a mistake at work and believing you’ll get fired as a result.
2. The second is looking into the future, anticipating all the things that could go wrong and then believing them as your reality. For example, not applying for a job because, “I’m rubbish at interviews, I won’t know what to say, and they won’t be interested in me.”

If you get hooked into this type of thinking, you may think it’s preventing you from being hurt or helping you avoid failure, but actually it may be limiting your opportunities in life, work and relationships.

How to stop catastrophising

To put a stop to this disempowering behaviour, try these steps:

• Become aware of when you are doing it. Record the situation and how you felt at the time. You may then start to see a pattern developing of when you are drawn into catastrophising.
• When you are aware of thinking the worst, just notice the thought, focus on your breathing and let the thought go.
• You can also try challenging your thinking, either by looking for evidence that contradicts it from your past, or by talking it through with a logical friend you trust.
• When you return to reality, you may find it easier to solve the problem or take the first step towards the opportunity.

Three days after I lost my phone, a taxi driver turned up at my door. He’d found it in his cab. Not only had I wasted time worrying, but I hadn’t even considered the positive outcome that an honest person would return it to me.

This quote is a great reminder:

“Do not anticipate trouble, or worry about what may never happen. Keep in the sunlight.” - Benjamin Franklin