“Well, that’s three more interviews this week; nobody will ever want to hire me.” “I can’t believe I caved at lunch and ate that cookie – I’ll always be overweight and unattractive.” “Why even show my face at that party? I’m too shy to make new friends, so I guess I’ll just be lonely forever”.
Do you find yourself thinking that the worst will happen? Do you think that your entire life will be ruined if something goes wrong? Or do you have a habit of always realizing the worst possible scenario right away, even before anything happens?
Catastrophizing can play a significant role in anxiety and depression for many people who overestimate the likelihood of a bad outcome. By understanding how catastrophizing works and how to stop it, you can live a more positive and fulfilling life – even if your current forecast calls for the opposite.
Everyone experiences disappointments in life, but a catastrophizer might see a setback such as a breakup as the end of the world. There’s a difference between feeling this way emotionally and rationalizing that you’re unlovable or unworthy of love when something difficult like this happens.
So how can you stop yourself from coming up with such irrational predictions for your future before they eat away at your wellbeing and enjoyment in the present?
Start with self-monitoring
Begin by keeping a log of the situations which cause you to think that everything is ruined. Note what happened in each situation and why it bothered you enough for your catastrophic thinking brainwaves to start wafting through your mind like toxic fumes from a factory fire.
Next time you feel overwhelmed by a setback, pause and reflect on the thought that just popped into your head. Is it true? Are you overly reactive to what’s going on right now, or are you letting one bad thing snowball into something more problematic?
Make sure you’re not letting your negative thoughts run away from you! Ask yourself if it’s possible that you’re having these thoughts out of habit and what a more realistic thought might be. For example, if you argue with your friend, then tell yourself, “it doesn’t mean I can’t be friends with this person again” rather than “I’ll never have any more friends because of what I did.”
Find awareness
The most effective way to stop catastrophizing is by acknowledging that it’s a problem in the first place. If you know that some situations always make you feel bad, try to stay away from them or be prepared for the thoughts and emotions that will follow.
For example, if you know that you’ll get upset or ruminate when watching sad movies, don’t put yourself in a position where that will happen. Watch a comedy instead!
Mindfulness exercises can prove tremendously helpful with becoming more aware of your thoughts. In terms of catastrophic ones, mindfulness can help you find the space between what’s happening now and whatever bad outcome you assume will happen.
Practice acceptance
Catastrophizing can be a difficult habit to break because you might not even realize that it’s happening. So the more mindful you are of your behavior and thought processes, the easier it will be for you to stop catastrophizing in its tracks before feelings of anxiety or depression start taking over.
To help yourself better process unavoidable setbacks, try using acceptance. Accepting that something has happened doesn’t mean you’re happy about it, but it means that you understand and acknowledge the reality of the situation.
It’s not going to help your current situation to beat yourself up over something that has already happened. Instead, focus on how you can make things better. For example, if you got fired from your job, then accept that it’s a hard thing to go through but don’t dwell on the fact that you’re unemployed.
It’s normal to have bad days. No one gets through life unscathed by misfortune or sadness. A bad day doesn’t mean a bad life. But, there comes the point where thinking that it does, scares you away from engaging in the meaningful life experiences that make it a good one!
TMS
by Deb (age 64)
Category: generalThe hoops I jumped through in order to be evaluated were straightforward and efficient. I met with PA Kaitlin for about an hour to discuss my history and previous medications. Then Dr. Amato joined us to further discuss my history, the TMS treatment, and answer any questions. Myrna gathered all of the information and submitted it to my health insurance company to request coverage for TMS. Fortunately, insurance approved the treatment and I was able to begin the next week. I’m sure most people have anxiety about starting a treatment like TMS. No matter how many times it’s described to you, there are many unknowns. How will I feel during treatment? Is it painful? What if this doesn’t work? What if it works for a while but then stops? In all honesty, I was very uncomfortable during the first couple of weeks of treatment. The alternating two seconds of tapping sensation caused some pain during treatment, and at the end of the first week I thought about quitting. But I had sworn to myself that TMS was a last resort and I HAD TO complete the treatment and give it a chance to work. My technician, Heather, told me that some people don’t feel the tapping at all, they only hear it. Guess I wasn’t one of those people! But as the days went by, it became easier to tolerate the treatments. During this time I also saw Lauren weekly for CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy). This is highly recommended for people undergoing TMS treatment, and it was a positive complement to my total of 100 minutes each week “under the helmet”. The weekend between weeks three and four, I started to notice subtle improvements in my mood, increased belief in my self-worth, and enthusiasm for simple things like going for walks, meeting friends for lunch, and taking on volunteer work in the community. I hesitated at first to believe that TMS was helping me. I was afraid that I was convincing myself it was working because I so desperately wanted it to! But now that I am past the treatment I can say with cert
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by Barbie (age 68)
Category: generalI feel so blessed to participate in the TMS protocol at MT Psychiatry. After struggling so many years with depression and not getting significant results from medication, particularly of late, I noticed positive results in the first two weeks of treatment. TMS can literally give you back the beauty & joy in living as well as the courage to make positive life changes and improvements in your daily living situation. I heartily encourage anyone to put yourself into the hands of the amazing TMS team who so gently and graciously make this journey with you out of the black hole that is depression. It is my honor and privilege to give the TMS treatment the highest recommendation.
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by Shayne (age 66)
Category: generalI am grateful for the support and caring I have received from Dr. Amato (and Heidi, Heather and Myrna) in my quest for mental health and a fuller more productive life. While the TMS results have been subtle, I feel more positive about my future and I would recommend this team absolutely. Thank you!
TMS
by Carrie (age 65)
Category: generalNot realizing how fuzzy my head was, I thought I was only going through severe anxiety and depression. Through the insight of Pat, I was able to go through TMS treatments which brought down the anxiety and depression immensely and has cleared up the fuzzy, far off substantially. All the personnel treated me with kindness and I’m sure their attitudes helped in my recovery.
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by Bridget (age 47)
Category: generalThe first outcome of TMS I noted happened early in my treatment, at about the beginning of week two. I felt as though my “brain fog” had been chipped away. I wish I could report that I feel my mental health issues are in “remission”, but I can’t do so yet. My hope is that I will see improvement in the weeks to come, now that my TMS cycle has ended. I can say that my brain feels – in some way – different; I can’t explain exactly how. I continue to struggle at this point in time but sill have hope for more improvement.
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