Catastrophing thoughts

Been very anxious and depressed lately as I am going through somethings. I find myself with 'what ifs' thoughts and imagining situations worse than it may be.

My therapist told me to live in the present and only deal with situations as it happens. I am having a hard time doing this though and thinking about the worse. Grrr.. I hate having anxiety and depression.

Post Edited By Moderator (BnotAfraid) : 8/8/2020 8:42:56 AM (GMT-6)

Hi Forever,

Hi Weary,

I get thoughts like that. Worst case scenario thoughts. Out of nowhere. It helps if you put up your mental stop sign. Or quickly find something to do. It is really troubling to have these thoughts. It is like "what is wrong with me?".

Living in the present, mental stop sign, meditation. Anything that helps.

I wish you both the best.

Hugs, Karen...

Well you are not alone in catastrophizing.
Even though I challenge it, I still find my self doing it. Life time habit of mental survival.

The following are things which help me come back to the present. Remembering, 99% of what we worry about, when we live in relative safe, does not come true.

I hope some of this helps:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/friendship-20/201611/5-ways-stop-catastrophizing

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320844#causes

It is hard Forever. I find to keep my mind busy helps a lot. I do the breathing too. The thoughts come out of nowhere and can be so bad that they make me cry. So I feel what you are going through. Try to keep your mind busy. Put up your mental stop sign. Meditation helps too. I often get bad thoughts when I am falling asleep or trying to. I do meditation to help me sleep and if I focus hard enough the thoughts often go away or I fall asleep. I know how disturbing they can be.

Keep hanging on. You got this beat.

Hugs, Karen...

FP
Hope your thoughts are calming down
Tried a couple of other Michael Sealy videos, did not compare to the one I recommended

I also try to deep breathe as much as possible and use that mental image of a stop sign

I think all of our problems are we just care too much about everything

Wishing you peace

Great thread... I'm in that catastrophizing club myself, and this is all very close to home, unfortunately. The problem is that it really seems as those bad things are just on the verge of happening. Logic and reason are hard to apply.

Thanks for those links, Trina -- some very helpful suggestions there to deal with it. Likewise, I also often think in terms of "contentment" for the time left, or having a bit of time at the end to enjoy freedom from everything that's plagued us.

I have been a lifelong member of the Catastrophe Club....Which, of course, is only intensified by this pandemic--esp. for folks like me (a world class, card-carrying hypochondriac).

Another poster here mentioned Michael Sealy. OMG...that guy is a GODSEND for me! I ALWAYS listen to him at bedtime to help me relax, sleep (he has a really soothing, cool Aussie accent). Free videos with great tips on a ton of topics from overthinking to anxiety/depression to insomnia to boosting self-esteem.

Other things that help: Avoiding depressing TV news (which only reports the negative, gins up and catastrophizes EVERYTHING to attract viewers and boost ratings). I try to avoid loud noises and unplug in the evening, a few hours before bedtime. I also download free videos of ocean scenes/sounds and watch old movies.

Yesterday, I watched old movies on TCM (turner classic movies): "Charade" and "Bringing Up Baby". For me, there's nothing like a good dose of The Hepburns (Audrey, Katharine) and Cary Grant to take my mind off life's problems.

Post Edited (kate333) : 8/17/2020 4:01:07 PM (GMT-6)

I'm going to listen to Michael Sealy.

My anxiety is still high and depression is hovering over me. This may sound, but I've been watching videos by other people with GAD/depression and catastrophing thoughts. It kind of helps to hear someone else describe their thought process when they are catastrophing situations.

I hate having GAD/ depression. Im sick and tired of being sick and tired. It's horrible when you can't even trust your own mind.

Post Edited (ForeverPositive) : 8/18/2020 1:17:50 PM (GMT-6)

Weary,

I am so sorry you keep having reoccuring dreams about your MIL. This is no way to live.

Can you get some therapy or a book on this? You need some relief. Or even if the doc could give you a sleeping pill so you don't dream if there is such a thing. You need some rest.

I have heard our dreams are usually either our fears or our desires. I suspect you fear her coming back home. I think that they should place her. Is she still in the hospital? I wish for you some peace and some rest.

Hugs, Karen...

I do fear she'll end up back here. I told my husband he has to find out what the status is of her care plan. Hospital social worker was supposed to contact siblings to do the medicaid app and LTC app but she never contacted us about whether or not they complied. She didn't even tell us she was discharged.
He says he doesn't want to act interested because they are then going to lay it all on him again. I said they already are- they call here when she falls. Medicaid takes 3 months or more to be approved...better find out if nothings been done and then tell the new social worker we don't have the answers for the paper work but the other siblings do. Please call them as there is no relationship with them. Then I said do what you want. It's not my mother and not my messed up family. Don't be mad at me for being pro-active.

I haven't pursued a therapist but these past couple of hellish nights I've been thinking about it again. Have really lousy health insurance right now. My GP visits are not even covered until I hit a $6,000 deductible.

Thanks to all for listening and offering advice and comfort.

To all i send healing thoughts. Keep reaching out when possible. Thinking of yas. HT