Catastrophise

🧠 Psych - 152/200

Hi Reader,

Today, let’s talk about the next one of the cognitive distortions, in continuation to one we did last week (Polarised Thinking, Mental Filtering).

Today, we are talking about Catastrophise.

What is it?

Catastrophising is when someone assumes that the worst will happen. Often, it involves believing that you’re in a worse situation than you really are or exaggerating the difficulties you face.

List of example sentences.

Example:-

Someone might worry that they’ll fail an exam.

From there, they might assume that failing an exam means they’re a bad student and bound to never pass, get a degree, or find a job.

They might conclude that this means they’ll never be financially stable. [2]

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Why do I need to know?

Many successful people have failed exams, and failing an exam isn’t proof that you won’t be able to find a job. A person who is catastrophising might not be able to acknowledge that.

If you often find yourself catastrophising, mindfulness one being of them. It might help you recognise which thoughts are irrational and can help you control your thoughts.

References & Studies: -

1. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/49720324_Effects_of_coping_statements_on_experimental_pain_in_chronic_pain_patients

2. https://www.healthline.com/health/anxiety/catastrophizing

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