Ways to stop thinking the worst will happen when you’re stressed

Catastrophising is a tendency to assume the worst will happen when imagining a future situation – even if you have evidence that this is not the most likely outcome.

If you’re someone who tends to catastrophise when stressed or anxious, there are a few things that you can do to help:

Make decisions in the morning It can useful to wait until the morning to make decisions when your brain is rested.

Teach your inner critic to be more compassionate Be conscious of the language your inner critic is using when you’re worried or stressed. If it’s overly harsh, try to switch to a kinder way of speaking to yourself.

Make up a better story Choosing to focus on the stories with a positive outcome might also help you to feel less worried or stressed.

Be kind to yourself Try to be more compassionate with yourself when considering your future. This is more difficult than you might imagine – even for people who are very compassionate and empathetic to others.