Human beings have a tendency towards catastrophic thinking. This intensifies over time and can trigger anxiety disorders, depression, hopelessness or post-traumatic stress. The expert psychologists, physicians and nutritionists specializing in psychotherapy at ProyectoART explain what this disorder consists of and how it is possible to change the way catastrophic thinking occurs.
Catastrophic thinking is one of the most common cognitive distortions among the population, to a greater or lesser extent. It affects people unconsciously and can be overwhelming, depending on each case. ProyectoART explains that “catastrophic thinking is a type of cognitive distortion in which the person who does it falls into negative thought spirals that end up distorting reality”. The group, which specializes in psychotherapy for eating disorders, obesity, couple therapy, as well as group and individual therapies aimed at self-esteem and relationship issues, explains that this disorder can be seen as a poorly managed adaptive process. They state: “In situations where the danger is real, constantly thinking about it and reevaluating different possible scenarios could be an adaptive way to protect oneself. However, most of the time, this is not the case.”
For the english speaking therapist center in Barcelona, the main reason that causes this cognitive distortion is due to traumatic events experienced in childhood, they clarify, although it may also have been generated by the influence of parents it this is their way of managing emotions. All of this, they explain, can influence a person’s view of the world or reinforce beliefs that something is bad, “such as that the world is bad, that people should not be trusted and that trying to do things can end badly”, they explain. In addition, they clarify that these types of thoughts are also associated with mental health conditions such as anxiety disorders, depression or post-traumatic stress.
How are catastrophic thoughts formed?
The Barcelona psychotherapist experts at ProyectoART point out that the formation of catastrophic thoughts and their perseverance over time is progressive. They explain that it is a type of negative thought spiral that feeds back and becomes stronger. “When we think about these negative scenarios for a long time, they seem more and more real to us and have more power to increase emotions such as anxiety”, they express and add that “as a reaction to this anxiety, we think even more about possible catastrophes”. This spiral can go on for a long time, as it is generally a phenomenon that affects people unconsciously, making it overwhelming. This means, however, that the more time passes, the more difficult it is to change the way of thinking.
Experts in multidisciplinary treatments tailored to individual patient needs emphasize the importance of understanding how fear reactions contribute to the brain’s learning process. The professionals from ProyectoART explain, “Being afraid of a situation, even an imaginary one, signals to our brain that it is dangerous.” This can lead to the formation of persistent catastrophic and negative thought patterns. Conversely, they note that responding without fear to the same situation can prevent anxiety processes and reassure the brain that there is no real danger. The key factor in why these negative thought spirals occur lies in the emotional aspect of human nature. The professionals highlight, “While we often consider ourselves rational beings, research and experience show that we are more driven by emotions than by rationality
This, they continue, justifies that even if an assessment of the risks of a specific situation is carried out and the statistical probabilities are null or minimal, the brain makes people think unconsciously about the times they have thought about something negative and the anxiety triggers catastrophic thinking.
Is it possible to correct this negative thinking?
As much as a person may feel trapped in this loop of constant catastrophizing and negative thoughts, mental health experts indicate that yes, it is possible to stop this type of thinking. However, they clarify that a series of fundamental aspects must be taken into account in order to put an end to them and prevent them from reappearing. Firstly, they state that it is important to understand and accept the human tendency to catastrophic thinking and not to blame oneself for it, as it is counterproductive. Now, they emphasize becoming aware of thoughts and being clear about how they flow and how they are generated. “It is very important to be able to become aware of our thoughts and realize how they flow. To achieve this, mindfulness techniques are very useful, which also help us to see thoughts in perspective, as something we actively think or decide to think and not something that is an inseparable part of ourselves”, they explain.
The next thing to do is to work on self-confidence. “This helps us not to doubt our ability to handle difficulties once they appear”, they state. Low self-esteem and a lack of confidence generate serious consequences, such as the appearance of catastrophic thoughts, but also eating disorders of different kinds, a high level of suffering as a result of constant social comparison and even condition depression and anxiety disorders. Finally, they conclude from ProyectoART, we must act and solve the problems when they appear: “In this way we will reinforce our conviction that we have the capacity to handle them”.