How to Recognize & Stop Catastrophic Thinking - Part 2

Do you find yourself spiraling into anxiety, panic, or depression because your thoughts are out of control?

If so, I can help you break free to greater peace and joy.

Hey Friend, you’ve got this!

Here you’ll find proven strategies from science and scriptures to help you stop the spiral.

Also check out the FREE Plan for Escape Workbook below to help you through the process.

In Part 1 we learned what catastrophic thinking is, why it’s so destructive to living life abundantly, and how to recognize it. If you’ve found this article before reading Part 1, I recommend starting with Part 1 here.

Here in Part 2 I give strategies to break free from the cycle of catastrophic thinking. It’s totally possible and has the potential to change your life. It has mine.

Making Mountains Out of Molehills

I remember a day in September years ago. The air was just getting crisp in the mornings and I could see the first bits of red at the top of the mountains ahead of me as I walked through my neighborhood. I stopped to talk to a friend, and she said something like this, “Yeah, it was a rough night. Tyler was up all night throwing up and I’m just exhausted.”

 

Oh no. 

 

Tyler had just been at our house the day before playing with my son. 

 

My heart sunk. Hot dread creeped into my gut and I could feel my ears start ringing as the panic started surging through me. 

 

I gave my quick apologies and, as politely as I could, was on my way back home. 

 

My mind raced, thinking back to where they played together. Which rooms was Tyler in? Had I touched Tyler?

 

By the time I got home I was sure we’d all get the stomach flu. I hated the stomach flu. I couldn’t stand the hours of heaving in the toilet, the waves of weakness and nausea. I prepared myself for the miserable panic I’d feel watching for signs of sickness as the flu worked its way through our home. I sprayed with Lysol and worried. 

 

My life just turned upside down.

 

 

And this is what happened each time someone near me had the stomach flu.

 

 

My friends, this is one example from a time when catastrophic thinking held me in its iron grip and stripped me of living life abundantly. 

 

Thankfully, over the years I’ve learned so much that helped me escape that dreadful cycle of catastrophic thinking. Here I teach you strategies to help you do that too.

 

 

There’s a Way Out

In Part 1 I explained key elements of catastrophic thinking. Understanding these elements help you recognize when you start spiraling. Friend, here’s the good news: when you start spiraling it doesn’t have to be a nonstop ride to despair. There are escape routes all along the way. You have a choice at every turn of the spiral to get off. 

One day while hiking one of my favorite mountain trails after many months of inactivity, my heart raced and my lungs panicked for more air. My mind presented me with many unhelpful thoughts to stop me in my tracks. You can watch here as I show in my every-day life how I use this technique of disputing unhelpful thoughts with more helpful truths. 

Questions Can Lead You to the Truth

Asking yourself questions can help you come to understand the truth. Here are some suggested questions you can ask yourself based on cognitive behavior therapy found in  S.O.S. Help for Emotions, Managing Anxiety, Anger, and Depression (p. 95-98).

 

Is it logical? 

Ask yourself: Are my beliefs, thoughts, and self-talk about this situation reasonable, sensible, and logical?

Here are some examples to show you what this could look like in your own life: 

• Is it reasonable to believe that this particular thing will always be this way and never change?
• If those beliefs and self-talk statements were held by someone else, would they seem reasonable to me? 
• Where is it written or documented that these beliefs and statements make sense?
• Is it reasonable or logical that God could love everyone else but not love me? That He offers forgiveness to everyone else but not to me? 
• Is it logical or reasonable to believe that I or anyone else is a “complete failure” because of a failed relationship?
• Is it logical that that thing I’m worrying about could or would happen right now in this circumstance at this moment?

 

Is it real? 

Ask yourself: Are my beliefs, thoughts, and self-talk about this event based on actual evidence and observation? 

Here are some examples to show you what this could look like in your own life:

• Where is there evidence that I “can’t stand” that situation (can’t survive or physically go on living in that situation)?
• What makes me so special that my life must be easy or that I must get what I want, when I want it?
• Is that problem really “awful” or more than 100% bad? Is it worse than the worst thing I can imagine?
• Where is there proof that I am 100% worthless; that I have no good qualities at all?
• Where is the evidence that this thing I fear has happened has actually happened? Is it a verifiable fact that it has happened or that it will? 

 

Is it useful? 

Ask yourself: Are my beliefs, thoughts, and self-talk about this situation helpful, useful, and practical to help me reach my goals?

Here are some examples to show you what this could look like in your own life:

• Is my worrying going to help protect my loved ones, change the situation, or alter how things are going to happen? 
• By believing that thought or idea does it help my depression (guilt, fear, anxiety, anger)?
• Do those self-talk statements motivate me to be better and take action to solve the problem?
• Does my continued anger and resentment over the way I was treated help me?
• Does believing that my husband (son, daughter, friend) absolutely must do this thing this exact way strengthen our relationship?
• Does believing that “life must be easy and if it isn’t I can’t stand it” help me feel peace?

 

Is there a better alternative? 

Ask yourself: Is this belief, thought, or self-talk the best I could be thinking, believing, and telling myself, or are there other more rational, helpful beliefs, thoughts, and self-talk that I could use in this situation? What OTHER thoughts COULD I think instead that are based on truth and that would be more helpful? 

Here are some examples to show you what this could look like in your own life:

• Will believing I’m a person with some faults rather than a totally worthless person, help me feel less tense at the party next week?
• Would preferring to get what I want be less upsetting than demanding that I absolutely must get what I want?
• Would believing I’m a person with both strengths and weaknesses help me to relate better to other people than believing, “I’m a complete failure, worthless, and no good?”
• Would thinking that it’s OK if others don’t agree with me help me feel more at peace rather than insisting that we must be in agreement?
• Will the thought that it’s OK if I feel uncomfortable, tired, sick, and nervous sometimes help me feel more at peace instead of expecting to feel great all the time?

 

After you’ve asked yourself these questions, and written down your answers, you will begin to see the truth more clearly. Then, state that truth to yourself again and again until you believe it. This is how the unhelpful thoughts and beliefs lose their power. Your brain is convinced that another, more helpful truth is the better option and the unhelpful truths can be dismissed more easily.

A Real Life Example

At one point one of my daughters really struggled in math. She tried and failed an online course which she repeated over the summer with a private tutor, barely passing with great difficulty and effort. One day the following fall semester we drove to meet with the math teachers in her new school to determine her placement for the upcoming year. 

 

She was dreading this meeting and the thought of starting another math class. She told me several times how much she hated math. She said, “I failed and it was so hard and it was the worst experience ever.” Because she failed she believed she would always fail at math and it would always be hard and the most awful experience ever.

 

I realized what she was doing. She was spiraling into despair over math with catastrophic thinking. 

 

I reminded her that she did have a choice about what thoughts she chose, and she could choose the ones that served her better. Although what she said was true: she did fail, it was so hard, and she hated it, there was another truth she could tell herself if she chose.

 

I told her that she COULD instead tell herself: “I tried and failed and tried again. I didn’t give up and my hard work paid off. I did it! I can do anything I set my mind to. Even though it was hard I got through it. I can do hard things.”

 

They were both true sets of thoughts. I asked her which made her feel like trash and which felt better – hers or my alternative. 

 

She was quiet and I could see she really did feel the difference between the two. 

 

Friend, remember: 

Starve Unhelpful Thoughts

Choose to not give the worrisome thought your emotional attention. Instead, notice it with curiosity and let it pass through like all the other thousands of thoughts that you have in a day. Don’t reinforce it with your attention, focus, or worry.

 

 

“Catastrophizing can be countered by mindfully examining one’s thoughts. Using mindfulness means observing a thought from a distance, without judgment, as it comes and goes. Imagine, for instance, that thoughts are like leaves floating down a river.” Psychology Today 

 

 

This has been one of the most helpful strategies I’ve used to keep catastrophic thinking in check. It used to be that a triggering thought could send me spiraling into anxiety or a panic attack. Now, I step back and look at my thoughts like a curious spectator. 

 

 

When my body responds to the thought with racing heart or nervousness, I think to myself, “Hmm…that’s interesting. No big deal. It will pass. It’s OK.” Take a breath. Then turn my attention elsewhere instead of feeding the thoughts with my emotional energy. I just really don’t have time or energy to give to unhelpful thoughts that steal my life.

 

 

Strip Worry of Its Power

If you’re reading this article you’re probably a worrier. Worry sends us into the catastrophe cycle like nothing else. Our imaginations get going and we get wrapped up in what could or might happen. Eventually we end up believing the worst case scenario. 

 

 

I really used to think worrying was helpful. That somehow by worrying I was protecting my loved ones from harm. That somehow thinking about them and anticipating every awful thing that COULD happen kept them safe. 

 

 

I’ve recently realized my thoughts and worry don’t affect anything at all. My worrying won’t change the natural course of events – whether good or bad. It won’t enable success at the job interview, relieve pain or suffering, or stop a car crash. All of that transpires for good or bad independent of my worrying.

 

 

If there’s something you can do to fix the problem, do it. Take action. But then, recognize that once it’s out of your control, your worry doesn’t control the situation for you. It just controls you and robs you of your abundance. Let that worry go!

 

 

My friend, the sooner we recognize that worrying doesn’t fix circumstances the sooner we can feel more abundance. We REALLY can let the worry go. You may feel some resistance when you do. It’s OK, let it go. It isn’t serving you well. 

 

 

Put Your Thoughts Through This Test

So far we’ve covered great ideas from science through cognitive behavior therapy. But I love how these true principles are often right there for us in the scriptures.  

 

 

Paul in the New Testament warns us to not be overly worried with “overmuch sorrow” and “sorrow of the world which worketh death.”  2 Corinthians 2:7 and 2 Corinthians 7:10

 

 

Wow. When I’m stuck in a cycle of catastrophic thinking heading to despair, it does feel like death.

 

 

We are reminded to not be consumed with worry when Paul says: “Be careful for nothing; but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God.” 

 

 

And if we can do that, “…the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:4, 7

 

 

What a promise!

 

Then we’re given a nice checklist to run our thoughts through. Are they really serving us? Are they what we should be focusing our attention and energy on?

 

 

“…Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Philippians 4:8

 

 

For example:

Let’s say I’ve failed at something and I have a thought that I’m worthless. I can ask myself, “Is that thought the truth?” or  “When I say that to myself am I being honest?” or “Is that a just thing to say about myself?”

 

 

Then I can combat the false, unhelpful thought with the truth: “No, God has proclaimed my boundless worth” even to the extent that he would leave the ninety and nine if I were the one.

I’ve Used These Strategies with Success

Hey Friend, I’ve used these strategies for breaking free from the cycle of catastrophic thinking with great success! Years ago I experienced anxiety and panic attacks in part due to catastrophic thinking. One of the physiological responses to anxiety for me was nausea. Soon, I came to associate anxiety and panic attacks with feeling nauseous. So much so that any mention of the stomach flu sent me into a panic that led to nausea that then escalated into throwing up for hours.

 

This is how the stomach flu became my greatest enemy.

 

And not that we’re friends now or anything, but it doesn’t have the power over me like it once had. 

 

For example, just a month ago our family was on vacation with all our children in the Canadian Rockies. We stayed in a small two bedroom condominium. We drove in the same car for hours each day to our recreation destinations, prepared food together, and crowded on the same couch to watch movies at night. 

 

A few days into the vacation my daughter-in-law became nauseated and went to bed early. Another time that knowledge would have sent me spinning into a panic attack as I envisioned and reinforced the worst. That we’d all be sick for the rest of our vacation, it would be terrible, and I couldn’t stand it. 

 

But, I didn’t go down that path. Instead I kicked out the unhelpful thoughts, replaced them with empowering truth, and got on with our vacation. And by the way, she woke up feeling fine the next morning without ever throwing up. No sickness whatsoever. Can you imagine all the wasted energy, sleep, joy, and abundance had I gone the path of catastrophe? But it wasn’t so.

 

I count that a victory all around. 

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