Post by ashliy on Mar 8, 2017 17:13:17 GMT
You're having a wonderful time at a party and text your teenage son to see how he's getting on with homework. When he doesn't reply, rather than imagine him watching TV or in the bath you imagine a serious, sinister scenario. This is catastrophising.
It's taking an ordinary scene and imagining the worst case scenario. And then instead of dismissing your fears as ridiculous, you dwell on them and add to them. You imagine fire engines outside your home, ambulances and neighbours frantically trying to find you – but you're not there.
Catastrophising is a cognitive distortion which makes an unpleasant and undesirable situation worse than actually is – or need be.
In psychological terms, therapists consider a catastrophe as the absolutely worst thing possible – but in my practice I have yet to come across an actual catastrophe.
www.netdoctor.co.uk/healthy-living/mental-health/a27771/how-to-stop-catastrophising/
It's taking an ordinary scene and imagining the worst case scenario. And then instead of dismissing your fears as ridiculous, you dwell on them and add to them. You imagine fire engines outside your home, ambulances and neighbours frantically trying to find you – but you're not there.
Catastrophising is a cognitive distortion which makes an unpleasant and undesirable situation worse than actually is – or need be.
In psychological terms, therapists consider a catastrophe as the absolutely worst thing possible – but in my practice I have yet to come across an actual catastrophe.
www.netdoctor.co.uk/healthy-living/mental-health/a27771/how-to-stop-catastrophising/