WHY WE SHOULD AVOID CATASTROPHIC THOUGHTS AND WORDS
Many of us are prone to catastrophising at times, but continually using catastrophic language and having catastrophic thoughts can lead to an individual quickly losing perspective in many situations. Whilst for a catastrophiser, catastrophic language can sometimes feel like it is relieving stress and anxiety, sadly the opposite can be the case. Many times, this unhelpful thinking system can be the foundation of ‘black-and-white’ thinking – a tendency to think in extremes. Though it’s normal from time to time to use catastrophic language, developing a continuing habit of dichotomous language and thinking can interfere with an individual’s health, relationships and career. Being hypervigilant to any perceived threat – real or imagined – can be exhausting, as the sympathetic nervous system is constantly on high alert to this perceived danger. This unhelpful thinking system can also be associated with anxiety and depression.
Our brains are hardwired to pay more consideration to the negative than the positive. It makes sense from an evolutionary standpoint. You and I are here today because our hunter-gatherer ancestors paid more attention to the possibility of a sabre-toothed cat lurking in the undergrowth than the pretty flower on the side of the path. Our minds favour the negative because it keeps us safe. Faced with the unknown, it’s safer to assume the worse than to hope for the best. In our modern world though, rarely, if ever, do we need to be this hypervigilant to danger.
Research has shown that acting and using language in a catastrophic way can negatively affect psychological and physical well-being. This is because when we think, react and speak in a catastrophic manner, our body reacts as if the situation or event has actually happened, causing unnecessary anxiety and stress. One of the effects of catastrophising is that it can lead to a style of thinking known as ‘cognitive distortion’. In simple terms, our mind convinces us of something that isn’t actually true but feels true. In simple terms our minds don’t know the difference between something that is real and something that is imagined. A person who catastrophises also often ruminates about an unfavourable outcome to an event – the rationale being that if such an unfortunate event does occur, then the results will be a disaster. This hypervigilance to perceived danger can force the catastrophiser into a continual state of flight or fight. Of course, catastrophic thinking bears little resemblance to reality, but it can have a real effect on the catastrophic thinker’s life. When we catastrophise, we take a potentially small problem and build it into a disaster of epic proportions. That kind of sustained thinking is incredibly toxic to your emotional climate. In many ways catastrophic thinking can be thought of as the arch-rival of resilience.
It’s perhaps worth reminding ourselves of something – that our modern brains are energy hogs. Whilst the human brain accounts for just 2% of our body weight, the average adult brain, even in resting state, consumes about 20% of our body’s energy. If we assume an average resting metabolic rate of 1300 calories per day, then the brain consumes 260 of those calories just to keep things in order. That’s 10.8 calories every hour or 0.18 calories each minute. Perhaps unsurprisingly then, during acute mental stress, the energy supply to the human brain increases by 12%. Experiencing stress can cause a chain reaction. When we experience a stressful event, the amygdala – an area of the brain that contributes to emotional processing – sends a distress signal to the hypothalamus. This area of the brain functions like a command centre, communicating with the rest of the body through the nervous system so that the individual has the energy to fight or flee from the perceived threat.
This ‘fight or flight’ response is responsible for the apparent physical reactions most people associate with stress. These reactions include increased heart rate, heightened senses, a deeper intake of oxygen and the rush of adrenaline. Finally, a hormone called cortisol is released, which helps restore the energy lost in the response. When the stressful event is over, cortisol levels fall, and the body returns to stasis. But these continued fight or flight reactions can have an effect on the individual over time. The side effects can include memory loss, sleep problems, fatigue, weight gain, a weakened immune system and a greater risk of mental illness.
The waste of energy associated with being anxious about what the future holds is summed up beautifully by author and Anglican priest William Ralph Inge when he writes, ‘Worry is interest paid on trouble before it comes due’. In other words, spending time, effort and energy worrying about and imagining potential disasters that may never occur robs us of the joy of the present moment and borrows with interest from your future. Inge was known as the ‘Gloomy Dean’ for his pessimistic views, so he seemed to know a lot about how not to think – not something you want on your epitaph.
Of course, reducing your stress levels can be a challenge. Around 25% of Americans state that they deal with high levels of stress daily, and another 50% say their stress is moderate. But learning to manage your thinking and minimising the effects of catastrophic and black-and-white thinking can have a profound effect on reducing your stress response.
