Episode 12 - Introduction to Catastrophizing

In today's episode I will be discussing catastrophizing. If you have ever found yourself jumping to the worst case scenario and predicting and preparing for the most awful outcomes all the time you could be experiencing catastrophizing as a result of trauma. The interesting thing that most people don’t know about catastrophizing is that it is a method of trying to gain control over outcomes, control of course helps us feel safe so while catastrophizing can be an unhelpful response it is no wonder it makes us feel so good in the moment we are experiencing it.

I will never forget the day a dear friend said “did you know it's not normal to be afraid of getting into a car crash every time you drive?” - I remember saying, no, I thought everyone did that.

I truly was shocked to find out that preparing for the worst outcomes was not a standard or even healthy way of living because I had become so used to living in a way that I thought was preparing me for anything that was to come. The thing is though, while there are many things that are in your control such as what you select to wear and the clothing you purchase - many life events are not in your control. The sooner you focus your energy on what you can control vs what you can’t, the more productive and truly in control you will be.

So what exactly is catastrophizing?
I will be focusing on catastrophizing as a trauma response, however, I would like to point out that other events such as a life-threatening illness, sudden job loss, chronic fatigue, chronic pain and anxiety disorders can also lead to this type of thinking. Regardless of why this type of thinking may occur for you, the information in this episode will still be helpful to hear. Predicting the worst case scenario can be a coping mechanism of protection - preparing for the worst may make someone feel that they can avoid disappointment and hurt.

Here is an example of of catastrophic thinking: I can’t fall asleep, I have a big presentation at work tomorrow, now I am not going to get any sleep and the presentation is going to be terrible, I am going to disappoint my manager and my team and I am going to lose my job and I am never going to be able to find a good job again

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Until the next time - warmly yours,
Renata