Catastrophizing is a way of thinking called a 'cognitive distortion. ' A person who catastrophizes usually sees an unfavorable outcome to an event and then decides that if this outcome does happen, the results will be a disaster.
- “If I fail this test, I will never pass school, and I will be a total failure in life.”
- “If I don’t recover quickly from this procedure, I will never get better, and I will be disabled my entire life.”
- “If my partner leaves me, I will never find anyone else, and I will never be happy again.”
Value
Relationships and situations that a person holds in high value can result in a tendency to catastrophize. When something is particularly significant to a person, the concept of loss or difficulty can be harder to deal with.
Fear
Fear, especially irrational fear, plays a big part in catastrophizing. If a person is scared of going to the doctor, they could start to think about all the bad things a doctor could tell them, even if they are just going for a check-up.
Difference between catastrophizing and anxiety
The primary difference between anxiety and catastrophizing is that anxiety can play a useful role in a person’s life. For example, anxiety can be a positive emotion because it can help a person to be protective of themselves. However, catastrophizing does not usually have any benefits.
Having these catastrophic thoughts can fill a person’s mind with unnecessary emotions that take time and thought away from the reality of a situation. While both anxiety and catastrophizing can be harmful, anxiety can be beneficial in some circumstances.
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