Thinking trap
Catastrophizing
A small difficulty instantly balloons into the end of the world. Imagination fills in the worst-case scenario.
How it sounds
- “My boss hasn't replied - that means I'm definitely getting fired.”
- “My child hasn't picked up the phone for twenty minutes, something terrible has happened.”
- “A twinge in my side, it must be something serious.”
How to spot it
The thought starts with “what if…” and within a few steps arrives at the worst outcome. Your body reacts before the facts do: your stomach tightens, your breathing speeds up, and you want to act at once or cancel everything.
Where it comes from
It is an ancient safety system: better to be startled ten times for nothing than to miss a predator once. An anxious brain overestimates the odds of disaster and underestimates its own ability to cope.
How to get out of it
Try asking yourself
What's the most likely outcome, not the scariest one?
A three-step practice
- Write down three scenarios: the worst, the best and the most likely.
- Estimate as a percentage how likely the worst one is. The number is usually far lower than it feels.
- Ask yourself: if the worst did happen, what could I do and who would help me?
What to take next
- 2 minAnxietySeven questions about the last two weeks. A short screening doctors use.
- 2 minDepressionNine questions about the last two weeks. A screening doctors use all over the world.
- 2 minPerfectionismDoes the high bar help or hurt? Two scales: what you demand of yourself, and how short you feel you fall.
Based on the classification by Aaron Beck and David Burns (Feeling Good, 1980). This is a self-awareness tool, not a replacement for therapy. If you recognize too much of yourself here and it's getting in the way, that's not something to be ashamed of - it's a reason to come talk.