Regularly predicting and expecting dire consequences eventually becomes your default thinking. This habit is difficult to break unless you intentionally work to keep it under control. I suggest you the following steps. Evaluate your thoughts Be aware of the situation and how you see it. What do you think? Ask yourself: “Am I catastrophizing right now?” The answer may be "Yes" if you evaluate things irrationally or farfetchedly. The thought process involves predicting a negative outcome and then quickly concluding that the outcome will be disastrous. Testing yourself allows you to minimize or reframe the way you view to the situation. Additionally, challenging or rejecting unhealthy thoughts helps you release negative emotions that are causing you stress, anxiety, or depression. Self-monitoring leads to a better understanding of your thoughts and how they affect your mood and behavior. Look for EvidenceAsk yourself if there is evidence to prove that your thoughts, beliefs, or suspicions are correct. Even if this is true, does that mean it will lead to something destructive? Perhaps you can remember a time in the past when you had this thought, but the end result was positive. No one got mad at you, you didn't lose your job, your wife didn't divorce you, and your friend didn't die. You convinced yourself that it would happen, but it didn't. Another method is to come up with at least two or three positive outcomes for the same situation. Now think of them as evidence that goes against what you expect. Practice Realistic Thinking When our thoughts are out of control, we are more likely to imagine outcomes that are far-fetched, unbelievable, or unrealistic. Realistic thinking means looking at a situation from all angles (positive, negative and neutral) before jumping to conclusions. It gives you the opportunity to challenge negative thoughts and reframe them. Cognitive reframing means changing your thinking by looking at things from different angles. The conclusion is likely to be balanced and reasonable. Try to move from worst-case scenario thinking to thinking that everything will be fine, even if you don't yet have evidence to support this belief. Looking on the bright side of things is also an effective way to cope with anxiety and prevent depression. Practice mindfulnessThe main goal of practice is to learn to observe your thoughts without judging or concluding whether they are good, true or valid. Being aware of the present moment will allow you to distract yourself before your thoughts get out of control. In fact, mindfulness is so effective that I recommend it as a strategy for reducing stress and taming overwhelming thoughts that cause anxiety. Journal Your ThoughtsJournaling is a practice that can help you overcome catastrophic thinking and other bad habits that affect your mental health. Simply write down your thoughts and feelings in a journal. Journaling also helps you control your emotions, such as insecurities, anxiety and irrational fears associated with failure, illness, losing your home or a loved one. Open your journal and re-read what you wrote once the negative feelings have passed. Reviewing and reading what is written can help you sort through your thoughts and be more mindful of your thoughts. Remember that no matter how true and valid your thoughts may seem, they are just thoughts. Challenge Negative Self-Talk Self-talk refers to the things you think and say to yourself. When this self-talk becomes negative, you may begin to think in ways that limit your ability to realize your potential. Negative Self-Talk, +7 9131506255