Right now we are talking to a lot of people who are ‘catastrophizing’ or thinking about the worst case scenarios. However, thinking in extreme terms and only focusing on the negative can have a tremendous impact on how you feel and how you act.
Here is an example…
“This is terrible and is never going to end. I can’t get through this”.
versus
“This has been difficult and has lasted longer than I thought it would. Although it has been hard, I have made it this far”.
In the first example, the wording is likely to lead to feelings of hopelessness, anxiety and maybe even anger. When you feel and think this way, your behavior is more likely to be impacted. You might withdrawal and give up trying to cope, you might be angry and irritable to those around you, or you might experience difficulty concentrating and getting things done.
In the second example, which is still accurate but more rational, the associated feelings are likely to be slightly less negative; maybe you feel stressed and frustrated but still in control. When your emotions are more manageable, you will be better able to control how you act.
So, try to catch the negative thoughts and replace them with more rational thoughts. Avoid extreme words like ‘always’ and ‘never’ and try to focus on things that have been slightly more positive or even just OK. It is OK to just be OK right now!
~Dr. Sam