C - Catastrophizing / Thinking in Doomsday Scenarios

Recognizable questions Why does my mind immediately jump to the worst-case scenario? Why does a possible disaster feel as if it is already happening? How can I start taking probability into account again in my thinking? What is it? Catastrophizing means that a possible negative outcome is quickly blown up in your mind into the worst imaginable ending. It is a thinking pattern, not a prediction. Why can our brain do this? Uncertainty can feel uncomfortable. By mentally working through the worst-case scenario ahead of time, someone sometimes tries to gain control. But a possible outcome can start to feel more and more likely through repetition. Example from everyday life Your boss asks for a meeting. Within minutes you think: ‘I’m going to be fired, won’t be able to pay my mortgage, and I’ll lose my house.’ A lot of intermediate steps have been skipped. How can this occur within close-knit or closed groups? When a community regularly talks about major threats, persecution, or a future crisis, some people can become extra sensitive to doom scenarios. For some (ex-)Jehovah’s Witnesses, Armageddon can be a recognizable theme in this. That does not have to apply to everyone. What can you do with it? Write down the worst, best, and most likely scenario. Ask what facts you actually have. Think about what you could do if a setback does happen anyway. Questions to think about Which doom scenarios do I repeat often? How often did such predictions actually come true? What is the most likely middle option? Summary Catastrophizing makes a possibility seem bigger than the available facts justify. Bringing back probability and intermediate steps can bring peace of mind.