It's a catastrophe! (or is it?)

When I am catastrophizing..

(definition: disaster, devastation, tragedy, the worst thing in the world!!)

“It feels like the end of the world, the thing I most fear will 100% happen and I am terrified!”

“I start thinking about so many different things, I can’t think clearly,

it feels like everything is going wrong and there is no way out!”

“I can’t see the positives only the scariest things,

I am panicking and can’t get myself to stop, that makes it worse!”

Does this sound like you?

How to help when your bully brain starts you on this journey of believing this is a catastrophe?

You CAN stop this – you CAN learn ways to help – you CAN be aware of your thoughts to change them!

STEPS TO TRY RIGHT NOW!!!! These ideas might help!

STOP! NOTICE THAT YOUR BRAIN IS CATASTROPHIZING!

Tell yourself that you recognise what your thoughts are doing. Notice that your mind is spinning with worry about the future. The trick is not to get caught up in the content; we'll get to that later.

ANCHOR YOURSELF IN THE PRESENT MOMENT!

BREATHING:

Focus on your breathing, see if you can count 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 to 10 and take slow, steady breaths. You can breathe by repeating "in" as your breath comes in, and "out" as your breath goes out.

GROUNDING:

What can you see, hear, feel, touch, taste. Can you describe it to yourself? Can you write it down?

Can you tell someone else? Getting in touch with our senses helps us be in the present moment. When we are in the present moment it helps to control thoughts that run away to the future!

PLAY THE WHAT IF GAME:

This is very different than the mind spinning about this because you are in control of your thoughts.

Actually ask yourself, “What if this happened?" Think about the REALITY , challenge then provide an answer.

With that answer, you may have another "what if" question, and intentionally ask and answer that one.

Go ahead and do this until there are no more questions. It often helps to write this down!