Imagine you have a job interview tomorrow. Some people might think about the types of questions that could be asked to prepare, or envision the interview going well. For others, just thinking about the interview will keep them awake all night imagining the worst possible scenario—no matter how unlikely it is. If you tend to be in the latter group, you are prone to catastrophizing, a tendency to assume that the worst will happen when imagining a future situation—even if you have evidence that this isn't the most likely outcome. People who want to feel in control (and are therefore intolerant of uncertainty) are more likely to catastrophize. This is linked to anxiety, suggesting that repeated catastrophizing might be a factor in developing certain mental health issues.
Catastrophizing stems from the belief that by imagining what could go wrong, we can better protect ourselves from harm—both physical and mental. However, this tendency is only useful if you can accurately predict what will happen in a specific situation and how you will feel about it. When we imagine future events, we have an emotional reaction to the story we create and use that response to determine how we will feel in the future. But this approach to predicting the future is often wrong because we are unable to envision everything that might happen. This can lead us to create an inaccurate emotional response to future situations in our minds.
Our beliefs about what will happen in the future can greatly impact our behavior. For example, optimistic (or realistic) individuals about the future are more willing to try new things and are likely to notice what goes well in new situations. Conversely, those who dwell on what could go wrong are less likely to experiment. When they do try new things, they are more likely to remember the mistakes that occurred, which gets stored in their memory and adds to their reasons for not trying new things in the future.
As a result, catastrophizing can lead to unnecessary stress and anxiety and may prevent you from doing things that you might enjoy or learn from. If you tend to catastrophize when stressed or anxious, here are some things you can do to help:
1. **Make Decisions in the Morning**
We often feel anxious about the future at night. When we are tired, the rational part of our brain is less active and the more emotional part is more active. As a result, we tend to rely on our emotional brain to envision the future when we are awake and anxious at night. Lack of sleep can make us more sensitive to perceived threats, leading us to focus more on potential mistakes and becoming more susceptible to catastrophizing. It can be helpful to remind yourself that you are not thinking rationally when you’re awake worrying about something. It may also help to wait until morning to make decisions when your mind is well-rested.
2. **Teach Your Inner Critic to Be More Compassionate**
The drive behind catastrophizing may come from our inner critic, who might use harsh language that makes us emotional. When this happens, try to visualize your inner critic as if you were looking through someone else’s eyes. What language are they using, and would you resort to that when talking about someone else in a similar situation? Is the language your inner critic uses helpful or justified? The answers to these questions are often negative. Be aware of the language your inner critic uses when you are anxious or stressed. If it’s too harsh, try switching to a kinder way of speaking to yourself.
3. **Craft a Better Story**
Even if things have gone poorly in the past, it is unlikely that this will be the case in the future—despite what we might tell ourselves. If you have a tendency to catastrophize about future events, instead try to think of ways that the event could go well to feel less anxious. Another strategy is to create not just one story, but several plausible stories about what could happen. This may help remind you that the stories you tell yourself are just stories. Moreover, focusing on stories with positive outcomes could help reduce feelings of anxiety or stress.
4. **Be Kind to Yourself**
Try to be more compassionate with yourself when thinking about your future. This can be harder than it may seem—even for those who are very empathetic towards others. Empathy evolved to help us interact well with others. Small things—like asking what advice you would give to a friend in your situation—can help you connect with your kind voice. Practicing this often can help you see solutions where you might have only focused on the problem.
While planning for ways things might go wrong in the future serves a purpose—keeping us safe—if you often find yourself catastrophizing by thinking of all the worst-case scenarios, especially at the expense of your mental health, it may be important to remind yourself that the things you worry about may never happen.
This report was prepared under the supervision of Patricia Riddle, Professor of Applied Neuroscience, University of Reading.
