Catastrophising - tips for managing it?

[GateauxFabulous]

I've always done this but I'm getting overwhelmed. Since I've had children it's got worse. Usually health related - theirs or mine - with an obsession about losing them one way or another. I can't get on top of it. How do you stop yourself thinking this way? How do you take control of it? Does this sound familiar to anybody else?

One small bump

I don't know how but would like to know also x

One of the best strategies my therapist ever gave me was if I'm having a bad/catastrophising/anxiety driven thought to literally say
'Stop, is that thought helpful, no! So what is helpful.....'
And then think of a counter thought or just say something positive or simply 'I am ok'
For me it was things like 'I'm going to be like this forever' vs 'well no I'm not because I wasn't like this years ago, I can be fine and I will be fine'
Or
'This is going to ruin my day'
'Let's have a wonderful day, today is going to be brilliant, I've had brilliant days in the past and will have more in the future'

She said do it every single time and I thought ok a few times a day
At first it was literally hundreds in an hour
Pretty much every thought was a negative one!!!!!!
But I continued and over time I think my brain kind of re wired and the bad thoughts happened much less, it took a while though!

Every now and again, if I'm starting to feel bad again I do this and I find it really really helps
Literally stop the thought in its tracks and replace

Xx

@bronzedgodesswannabe thanks that's really simple and good advice. Will start practicing!

You have to have a little word with yourself! For example we walked up a mountain. I hate heights and at the top there’s quite a sheer drop, I hate it and hate the kids going anywhere near the edge. I have to walk away while hissing at DH to watch the kids (9-13 so not babies) and just not look.
If I wake in the middle of the night and start strsssing about how we would all get out in a fire/being ill/my lost coil etc etc I have to try and be calm and work through the best scenario and then distract myself with a sudoku or other puzzle

Thank you, these are good suggestions, I've screenshotted them. And I'll try!

Have you had any CBT op? I did but it was a few years ago now. It massively helped at the time. One thing that helped me at the time and since was “what’s the worst that can happen?” Take what you’re afraid of, run through your worst case scenario and it helps. You realise the world won’t end, it may not be as bad as you think etc.