Catastrophize

To imagine or portray a situation as far worse than it actually is; to anticipate the worst possible outcome in a given scenario. Catastrophizing often involves irrational thinking, where a person assumes that a negative event will lead to disaster. This cognitive distortion can contribute to increased anxiety and stress, hindering effective problem-solving and emotional well-being.

Catastrophize meaning with examples

• After receiving a lower grade on her midterm, Sarah began to catastrophize, believing her entire academic career was ruined and that she would never get into college. Her friends tried to reassure her, but she couldn't help but fixate on the worst-case scenarios.
• During the meeting, Jason tended to catastrophize every minor issue that was raised. Instead of discussing solutions, he jumped to extreme conclusions, suggesting the project would fail catastrophically if even a small flaw was identified.
• Whenever Jim feels a headache coming on, he starts to catastrophize, convincing himself that it must be a sign of something serious, like a brain tumor. His imagination spirals into worst-case scenarios, adding to his anxiety and distress.
• When the car broke down on the freeway, Celia began to catastrophize about being stranded for hours, missing an important meeting, and losing her job. Her thoughts rushed ahead to all the negative implications, overshadowing potential solutions.
• After his friend canceled their plans, Mark couldn’t help but catastrophize the situation. He imagined that their friendship was falling apart and that he would end up alone. His mind raced to finish the worst possible outcomes, instead of considering other explanations.