Catastrophizing means that a person fixates on the worst possible outcome and treats it as likely, even when it is not.

In this episode of the Recovery Rebirth Podcast, we continue our conversation about health issues, focusing on catastrophizing–the tendency to focus on the worst case scenario. Many people in recovery had chaotic home environments. We were always waiting for the other shoe to drop and sometimes our worst fears have come to pass. But, many times we suffer needlessly about things that never happen. Living in fear and scarcity mindsets can cause us to catastrophize.

Jillian discusses her fears about an upcoming surgery and strategies she’s used to calm herself down when her anxiety spikes. Dominick touches on his fears surrounding finances which he observed in his parents and has followed him into adulthood. We also talk about fears of abandonment, a common theme in our podcasts.

Studies have shown that catastrophizing is a type of trauma response. Sometimes we can struggle to accept that good things can happen or compliments from others. This can be because we’re so used to bad things happening or don’t feel worthy of praise. 

The Serenity Prayer is a helpful recovery tool when we’re in a doom spiral. A gratitude practice can support a healthy state of mind. Focusing on the outcome we want vs. what we fear will happen can help us feel more in control of our fate. Some people believe strongly in the Law of Attraction, that what you focus on you will draw to yourself. 

We encourage you to let your faith be stronger than your fear and to live One Day at a Time.

Resources

Recovery Rebirth Episode 016

The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment–Eckhart Tolle