Re: CATASTROPHIZING

In Reply to: Re: CATASTROPHIZING posted by TRACY on October 20, 2000 at 14:15:37:

: : : Ok here is the thing. I am a hypochondriac...I realize that. I am always sick! Well in my head i am. I have been like this all my life, but about 2 months ago I have gotten real bad. I didn't really notice it until my best friend and I had a talk the other night. She told me that I was gonna lose my friends because I don't do anything anymore. I won't go out with them on the weekends because I am scared of something. What? I don't know....and that is what makes me so mad. Because I want to go out with my friends and have fun...I mean I AM only 19 yrs old.
: : : So anyways I constantly think I am sick and I am SICK of feeling like this. Why can't I just be normal and not think this way anymore!!! I want to be able to go out and have a good time with my friends and not have a worry in my mind. I need help and I just don't even know where to go and what to tell them. I am scared if I go to a doctor they will think I am crazy and they won't be able to help me. Do any of you guys have advice for me???

: : CATASTROPHIZING

: : If you catastrophize, a small leak in the sailboat means it will surely sink. A contractor who gets underbid conludes he'll never get another job. A headache suggests that brain cancer is looming. Catastrophic thoughts often start with the words "what if." You read a newspaper article describing a tragedy or hear gossip about some disaster befalling an acquaintance. As a result you start wondering if it will happen to you. "What if I break my leg skiing... What if they hijack my plane... What if I get sick and have to go on disability... What if my son starts taking drugs?" This list is endless. There are no limits to a really fertile catastrophic imagination.

: OK SO WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT THIS? IS THERE ANYTHING?

Hi Tracy,
I am sorry for taking so long to get back to you. Well I know that being brought up by a mother who worried constantly about everything and was very negative I grew up to worry about everthing and the negativity came as well. I started seeing a therapist a few weeks ago and she gave me some paperwork and thats how I found out about catastrophizing. I think your best bet would be to find a good therapist, they just help make you see things about yourself that you could not before. There has been times when I leave her office and have a good cry but she has helped me see so many things. Good Luck to you!!:)