Writings on the wall - anti-catastrophisation

I’m not sure if ‘anti-catastrophisation’ is actually a word but what I mean is talking back to thoughts of imminent disaster with more rational, realistic and calming thoughts. I’ve called this post ‘Writings on the wall’ because something I find helpful in countering my automatic thoughts is to write posters in big letters and bright colours and pin them on the wall. Each poster lists the best answers I’ve found to my most common upsetting thoughts. One of these is catastrophising. It’s something I learned from my Mum – she could make a major disaster out of losing a sock! But I’ve become an expert at it in my own right. Here are my writings on the wall about it.

Am I thinking gloomy thoughts? Assuming things will go wrong?

• I can assume it will turn out well and feel better
• I have no evidence that it will turn out badly
• Lots of things in my life have turned out well, even when it’s looked like they wouldn’t e.g. getting Barney, training him, moving to a small town, Bowie not being missing
• I don’t know how it will turn out. But given that it might turn out well (and that assuming it will turn out well makes life more enjoyable) I might as well assume it will all be OK and enjoy life more. My present moment is my only reality.

I find that when I start to panic about something or assume the worst, these thoughts make me feel a lot better.

N.B. The picture above is not of my actual mother, although this woman does look very distressed about the loss of a sock!