For a lot of us with anxiety, it can be difficult to refrain from turning small negative thoughts into insurmountable, catastrophizing ones. We go from “this is happening” to “worst-case scenario” at the snap of a finger. It’s often not a conscious choice, but rather a misfiring of synapses (and a hefty imagination) that can lead us down some very scary mental paths.
Luckily, there are excellent tricks that can quell that way of thinking almost immediately. Many have discussed the importance of processing anxiety through therapy or meditation, but if you’re looking for a faster fix, one in particular often works.
Why we may catastrophize
In a piece reviewed by Dr. Stephen Gans, MD, for VeryWellMind, journalist and mental health advocate Adam England discusses how common it is for the human mind to make these negative leaps. He writes, “We may catastrophize if we’ve had negative past experiences, particularly in a similar situation, or if we have low self-esteem or a mental health condition like depression or anxiety.”
He also illustrates how quickly “logic” goes out the window when we’re having these thoughts, particularly as it pertains to the future. Those worries often loop and re-loop until they get snagged in a cesspool of rumination. But it’s the thoughts themselves that are faulty.
England shares a parable from a children’s book, writing, “Smriti Joshi, lead psychologist at Wysa, brings up the famous children’s story about a rabbit who believed the sky was falling after a coconut fell from a tree onto its head. ‘Without examining what had happened, or that it was a coconut that had fallen on his head, he believed the worst-case scenario and panicked that it was the sky falling and the world was about to end,’ she explains.”
Write it down
England continues quoting Joshi, who shared, “A simple technique to practice is to write down all your thoughts. You can then replace them with other thoughts. For example, if you’re catastrophizing over a health complaint, write down your thoughts and then write down the facts—that it’s much more likely to be something minor, for example, or that your doctor isn’t too concerned.’”
Psychologist Millie Hardie, who goes by the name “The Pocket Psychologist” on social media, often gives helpful tips for dealing with anxiety in less than 60 seconds. In a recent post, she has a similar plan of attack for what she calls “sticky thoughts.” A chyron on the video reads, “I’m a Psychologist. I’m going to challenge six of your stickiest thoughts in 60 seconds.”
Dealing with ‘sticky thoughts’
She then proceeds to go through each thought, exemplifying how one might take a giant statement and make it smaller with a little re-evaluating. Each negative thought is shared, followed by a kinder, more manageable one.
“1. ‘I’m behind in life.’ You’re not behind. You’re on a different timeline your brain keeps comparing.
2. ‘They’re mad at me.’ That’s a guess. Not a fact.
3. ‘I’ve ruined everything.’ You made a mistake. That’s very different.
4. ‘I need to know what’s going to happen.’ That’s anxiety asking for certainty. Not something life can give you.
5. ‘I can’t do this.’ You can’t do it perfectly. You can do it messily.
6. ‘Something bad is going to happen.’ That’s your brain trying to protect you. Not predict the future.”
Give the thought a beginning and end
Rachel Loftin, a psychologist at Prosper Health, shared with Upworthy that putting thoughts down on paper helps decipher them. “When an anxious thought stays in your head, it can feel overwhelming and almost limitless. Writing it down gives it a clear beginning and end, making it feel more concrete and easier to examine. Instead of being caught up in the thought, you can step back and ask whether it’s accurate, whether there are other explanations, and how you would respond if a friend had the same concern.
The purpose of replacing a thought with one that’s more positive is to make a more balanced story and realistic perspective that’s supported by the evidence. For example, one might change, ‘I’m definitely going to do badly on this presentation’ to ‘I’m worried I might not do well, but last week’s presentation was great, and the world doesn’t end if this is boring.’”
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Loftin notes that this process is a major tenet of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which helps an anxious person zoom out. “Over time,” she writes, “this practice can help reduce habitual thinking patterns that fuel anxiety and strengthen more flexible, adaptive ways of interpreting situations. It’s one of the reasons cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which includes identifying and challenging unhelpful thoughts, has such strong evidence for treating many anxiety disorders.”
Stacy Sheller, LMFT, a therapist at The Grove Recovery Community, shared with Upworthy why writing anxious thoughts down can help. She shares, “The speed at which a worried individual’s thoughts occur often leaves little time for challenge. When writing these thoughts down creates some space (distance) from what he/she is worrying about, then the worrier can better see the thought pattern rather than seeing his/her worries as truth. This short delay allows the worrier to reflect on their reaction vs. their actions. This is one way to reduce anxiety.”
