How to avoid catastrophic thinking

Americans report being overwhelmed with worry. Is my Social Security income secure? Might I lose my home? Is my neighborhood safe? Will the cost of living ever go down? Experts refer to this doomsday thought pattern as catastrophic thinking, and it's a common cause of chronic anxiety.

"People trapped in catastrophic thought patterns are convinced everything is awful and won't improve," says Fairlee Fabrett, a psychologist with Harvard-affiliated McLean Hospital. "There is a constant sense of helplessness. They feel trapped, which makes them feel even more anxious and stressed." These feelings also can lead to unwise life decisions. "The fear of the unknown may cause you to make emotionally based choices rather than using sound judgment," says Fabrett.

One way to stop the cascade of catastrophic thinking is learning how to mentally pivot. "Mental pivoting is the action of consciously deciding to deflect thoughts when they arise, so they don't fester and grow," says Fabrett. "By doing this, you can feel more in control of invasive thoughts." Here are some ways to practice mental pivoting.

Give yourself permission

Catastrophic thoughts are often made worse by the anxiety over having such thoughts in the first place. To escape this, give yourself permission to experience them. "Acknowledge that it's okay to have these fleeting thoughts, it is what our minds sometimes do," says Fabrett. "This allows you regain power over your thoughts, and it helps you normalize them and realize that these thoughts are not reality."

Pay attention to little things

Train your brain to slow down and pay attention. For instance, when you're driving, make a conscious choice to not listen to talk radio, music, or a podcast that might trigger catastrophic thinking. Instead give your full attention to the act of driving.

"So often we get to our destination with no real awareness of the journey," says Fabrett. "But by being fully present and aware of how you hold the steering wheel, watch the traffic, and make turns, you are strengthening a different part of your brain and learning how to switch your attention away from overstimulating thoughts." You can apply this mindfulness exercise to any other seemingly mundane activity, like eating breakfast or doing household chores.

Be present and then pivot

You can sometimes break the cycle of catastrophic thinking by distracting your mind. "As soon as you notice yourself excessively worrying or ruminating about a stressful event, make an internal comment to yourself, like 'here I go again, with my list of negative thoughts,'" says Fabrett. Then make a conscious decision to do something else, like reading, listening to music, or calling a friend.

Schedule worry time

Sometimes you need to let catastrophic thoughts run their course; otherwise, they may linger indefinitely. To do this, schedule "worry time." It works like this: When these thoughts happen, recognize them, but tell yourself you will deal with them later. Then, at a fixed time of your choosing, do nothing but explore those thoughts and work through them. For example, write down the thoughts that come to mind, without editing, including all the worst-case scenarios you can think of.

"Spending time thinking like this gives us a window into our heart and worries," says Fabrett. You can also talk about them aloud and ask what makes you nervous and why, she adds. "This allows you to confront your anxiety head-on, but on your schedule, without taking away from other activities." Set a limit to "worry time," like 10 or 20 minutes, and when the time is up, move on.

The best lesson to be learned from mental pivoting is to acknowledge that most things in life are out of our control.

"When you can accept this fact and focus on what you can control — like your reaction to events and making a plan to confront what life throws your way — you can eventually learn to disconnect from catastrophizing thinking and no longer let doomsday thoughts control your life," says Fabrett.

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