In this article, I discuss how ‘catastrophizing’ about future events contributes to difficulties in managing anxiety.
Among the most common issues I encounter in my work as a Calgary psychologist and a Cochrane psychologist are those in which my clients experience anxiety levels which are uncomfortable and often overwhelming. For most of these clients who I help in anxiety counselling, the way they think plays a pivotal role in their difficulties in managing anxiety. When I interview these clients, their answers reveal that catastrophic thinking (also known as ‘catastrophizing’) is often the primary thinking pattern contributing to and prolonging their intense anxiety states.
What is catastrophic thinking?
In general terms, catastrophic thinking occurs when a person is viewing a future event or challenge in an overly negative manner. Catastrophizing involves two negative thinking elements: (1) Overestimating the likelihood of a negative event occurring; and (2) Underestimating your ability to cope with the negative event if it were to occur. Let’s examine each of these aspects of catastrophic thinking to illustrate how they contribute to issues in managing anxiety.
The first element of catastrophic thinking: Overestimating danger
When managed properly, anxiety is a helpful signal which alerts us to dangers or threats of a physical or non-physical nature so we can prepare to face or avert these impending negative events. Psychologist Dr. Christine Padesky has likened anxiety to a smoke detector which, when functioning properly, lets us know when the danger of a fire is present. When you have difficulty managing anxiety, it is akin to your smoke detector becoming activated when there is no real danger (as has occurred many times when I’ve been cooking certain meals in my oven!).
In practical terms, ‘overestimating danger’ typically involves the person believing that a negative event is almost certain to occur when the available evidence indicates otherwise. For example, someone suffering from generalized anxiety disorder may ruminate on worst-case scenarios in which they overestimate danger with thoughts such as “I’m going to get fired”, “My home is going to be invaded” and “He (she) is going to leave me”.
Overestimating danger is the primary factor at work in panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and health anxiety. In panic disorder, the individual experiences panic attacks by interpreting their physical sensations in a catastrophic manner—such as responding to any slight increases in their heart rate with the belief that they are having a heart attack. In OCD, the person attaches catastrophic interpretations to their thoughts to the point that the thoughts become obsessions, leading them to engage in compulsive behaviours to ward off anxiety they experience as a result of their obsessions. In health anxiety, the person’s catastrophic thoughts focus on believing they have serious health concerns despite evidence to the contrary which leads them to constantly monitor their physical condition. In social anxiety, catastrophizing takes the form of the person overestimating the degree to which others are evaluating, criticizing or rejecting them.
The second element of catastrophic thinking: Underestimating your ability to cope
Even if you take steps to avoid overestimating danger, anxiety can still be an issue if you believe that you will be unable to cope with negative events if they do happen to occur—whatever the likelihood of their occurrence. For example, even if you have accurately determined that the likelihood of your losing your job is low, you may still be anxious if you believe that you would be unable to cope if you did happen to become unemployed. In social situations, you may become anxious even though you accurately assess that most people will not criticize you if you also believe that you would be unable to cope with any criticism if it did happen to be directed toward you.
‘Reining in’ catastrophic thinking to manage your anxiety
Fortunately, there are specific ways to cut down on catastrophizing which will, in turn, help you to reduce the anxiety you experience to manageable levels. By this, I mean that when anxiety is manageable it is serving its purpose of signaling you to future events with which you should concern yourself. You will be more likely to act effectively on this signal if you are able to avoid overestimating the likelihood of negative events occurring in your life and if you believe that you will be able to cope with negative events which happen to occur. In my next article, I will discuss specific strategies you can use to help you implement these two critical antidotes to catastrophic thinking.
May your thinking be non-catastrophic,
-Dr. Pat
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