This makes so much sense intuitively, but it is so hard to stop…I suffer from Health Anxiety horribly and it is so hard to turn off. It affects all parts of my life but the worst is the insomnia. Oh well, I will keep fighting the lonely fight. I say lonely because everyone looks at me and thinks I am either fine or nuts. No one to turn to.
thanks for the comment, and I'm glad you are a part of my community! If you look at your second-to-last sentence above, you'll see that you are indeed catastrophizing again! I understand being lonely, just be careful making HUGE assumptions like "everybody looks at me and thinks I am either fine or nuts." Aren't there other (many other) assumptions people could make about you? And, some positive ones? Keep going, I'm glad you are here!
With you brother,.. traumatic event in my life..!! Bang.. Stress, anxiety, insomnia.... and now horrible depression. Hang-on!! As I too will.. I've been told " this too will pass".. but, you know, suffering is unbearable. 🙏
It's hard for me to live in the moment, when my anxiety for the future clouds it. My worry about my wife and other loved ones dying, sometimes gets in the way of enjoying and appreciating my time with them while they are still living. Being depressed over future grief is annoying.
thanks for your comment, and yes, I agree that being depressed over the inevitable grief we will all experience is annoying. Have you read Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankel yet? If not, I highly recommend it!
I can't function My day everyday involves eyes opening to heavy head heavy body like I'm being set in concrete No energy and agitated I jump out of bed and get annoyed that I'm doing to have a bad day I havnt eaten in 13 weeks due to choking Small amounts I'm choking on I think I'll never leave my house again I feel I'm failing my children I feel I need to go to the er again and I'll be sent to a physch ward My body aches I vomit I can't stop feeling doom
I never had this habit of catastrophizing in my life of 20 years, but suddenly from last one week i can't help but think about everything in a negative way , like the worst possible scenarios what if that's the last time its happening etc and also a lot of "what ifs" ... But this video helped me a lot to realise i don't need to predict the future and should live in the present moment ...thanks doc
Interesting. 63 years and always said best to 'plan for the worst, hope for the best'. It would seem this is wrong and a bad pattern overall. I am aware its made for an overall negative, even over cautious view. This helps allot to being able to break this path. Saving this to replay when I go to this bad path!
Health issues can definitely trigger your catastrophizing thoughts, but keep in mind that YOU are ultimately in control of whether you choose to worry or not
I’ve lost six family members in 2.5 years including my husband brother and father all from cancer. A decade previously my 1st husband left me for another woman to whom he married. I have had counseling but I struggle not to catastrophize. It’s a daily struggle but I do my best.
Im sorry for your losses. It is difficult to manage your thinking, I agree. Please stick around and be apart of my RU-vid community so you can feel stronger and happier!
Very helpful video. It deserves more views. I'm working on reducing my catastrophizing but easier said than done. Last year, I had the worst day of my life the day after saving someone. Something really horrible happened to me and calling it unfair is an understatement. Because of this, I now sadly associate doing good for society with punished only because my worst day ever just happened to be the next day. Although the two events had nothing to do with each other, I am always worried that I'll be punished for not just doing wrong, but also doing good. Wish I could afford a good counselor. The ones my insurance will cover have been horrible. Thanks again for this helpful video.
I've had that as well! Just lost a job through unfair treatment. I did feel it coming... But, I've had alot therapy and helped me learn Self-talk. I tell myself " This was coming because of their perfectionism, not because I didn't do good job". Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway is great book!
Try attending free Adult Children of an Alcoholic meetings online. It's free! Find ones in your time zone! You are not alone. The universe WANTS you to make it ! Your not here to be a slave to people, jobs, food, drugs, sex shopping, shitty family, etc!
I am an INFJ personality with 30 years of military service, rising to a senior officer. I do catastrophize. We were taught to in my line of work. It is called "Red Teaming," or "wargaming." I am always seeing patterns and while there is a large grey area as opposed to just black and white, some people are just very good at seeing bad things happening before they are complete. I have learned not to concern myself with trivial matters. The things that really bother me are the ones that raises my blood pressure. And when I see multiple indicators that they are happening, I catastrophize. And it isnt gray. It's very clear to me and no one else. And it's something very bad to me. But I'm right 99% of the time. No I cant predict the lottery. But things that are a threat to me? You bet, I see them coming from miles away.
Beautiful examples of Catastrophizing.! If only i listened to this earlier. I had a traumatic life altering situation happen to me,.. not ever wanting to retire,.. i retired. The Stress i had for weeks was unbelievable,.. i got anxiety and insomnia over it.! After, i lost my career job, i went into horrible depression. Losing my job , to me is unbearable! I Catastrophied under stress, Everything!! That' ended up ruining everything. ... I hope i can survive this, i was happy, healthy and had the best job ever, I could have done this forever, ... now im suffering from depression and all red flags, and... very unhappy. ... 🙏
Dear friend, try to get your house your car your phone or even just your kitchen more organized…. do not watch the TV or videos you want the (sound baths)……here on utube……… no words just some background sounds. I love it….. get a big piece of paper with some highlighters and write some thoughts down and keep it out every time you have a thought good or bad. Write it down it’s for you. You don’t have to make it 100% or 90%…. It’s a process you’re working on it…. Look at yourself in the mirror and the Internet has a course wonderful things….. My brother has written 24 books, radio shows movies….. he sells them, but mostly he does it for the humans…… my grandparents were very religious, but my dad really screwed everybody over…. and my brother coped by writing books and actually just going to churches and listening , where he felt safe. If….you’re interested Steven Surf Sadleir……Self Awareness Institute….in Latina Beach. also has workshops and works/prays with many Buddhists…..very calm and sincere. His sis S. Lange. Spelling Sadleir……he’s off grid now….but he made a great and Helpful Life.
I think people should not use such words "we need to talk" and then take days to discuss. It is very obvious for a person to get anxious in such a situation.
I am struggling with thoughts of losing a loved one. Ots consuming me and my little one is sick and had a reaction to the antibiotics. My mind needs to think positive but I am struggling
Thanks for the comment. It's so tough as a parent when your child gets sick-I can't think of much that is more stressful. Focus on gratitude and self-care right now, and try to "catch" those negative thoughts in your mind and let them go...
Thank you so much I will try both of your tips. I am beginning to feel better and my motivation is returning and im getting alot done around the house. Thank you so much for helping me I had a bad few days and morning but as the day has progressed I am coming around and feeling more like myself which will always be a worrier but its feeling less paralyzing
That happens on occasion. However, it doesnt happen every day, so try to work to manage your thinking better and dont assume the absolute worst all the time
This makes sense, but it is so very hard to be mindful. I lived pretty in the moment for a long while, even though ive struggled with OCD and anxiety for years. Then my uncle passed unexpectedly almost a year back and it was like glass shattering. I am happily married now from around the same time that happened since my wife was also diagnosed with a permanent illness. Shes worried about me though cause i havent slept right since my uncle passed. And now my father has permanent damage to his hearing and its breaking my heart. I just want to make everything okay and im powerless. And yet i keep finding it so difficult to accept. My family and friends tell me just don't worry and its the hardest thing I've ever done i think Terrible sinking feeling in my chest every night. I try so hard to be self aware and its just not working. Just had to get this out. I feel awful for burdening my wife with all of my feelings.
thanks for the comment, and sorry to hear about your uncle and father. You're right, it's not easy to "just don't worry, " but you can work to worry less, and find a better balance over time so that your anxiety doesn't run your life.
My problem is when my Autistic 6 yr old gets sick my mind goes to the worst case scenario to the point where I see it going down in my head and pray t9 replace this negative thought with a positive one but im struggling
thanks for your comment! I'd recommend combining a thought-stopping technique (for example, picture a large red stop sign and tell yourself "STOP!" when you catch those thoughts) with taking action. In this case, maybe taking your son to the doctor, asking them questions, hydrating him, etc. Do what you can and leave the rest alone.
@@DrLeifSmith thank you so very much I appreciate your response more than you know. We are actually on the way to the Dr rn thanks again hope you and your loved ones are well
I honestly am starting to wonder if me taking to much apple cider vinegar for a long period of time had depleted my vitamins and minerals contributing to my anxiety/ worry and low mood that on top of being up all night with him being sick and a few prior nights of very little sleep. Because I stopped taking acv and starting drinking body armor and I am really starting to feel like myself again. I have always been the type of parent that worries when my kids are sick then to have a child that has Autism and lacks the ability to tell me he doesn't feel well or what hurts adds an extra layer of fear and worry but this last time I was almost paralyzed with anxiety to the point I felt I could lose him and starting worrying about losing my loved ones like over the top worrying more than what's normal for me of course those are real fears it was different this time and it brought me to tears and it never had before. Sorry for rambling.
OMG, I have almost the exact same fear!! My thoughts go from me not being able to hold a job and winding up on the streets to my daughter going out of state to school and something happens to her to my son, who says that he wants to be a pilot and my mind starts thinking about him crashing and getting a phone call saying that he's dead. My other thoughts are that I will lose both of my kids and that I will be lonely and when I die, I will die alone in my house and no one will know. I panic and can't stop crying for days because it's out of my control. I also worry to the point of an anxiety attack and tunnel vision that my son, who has Aspbergers will be homeless. But this is so much easier said than done, Dr. Leif.
@@missouriprideusa6241 it is so hard I get it and I hope it gets better. I have learned low vit D-3 and low Bs and even other vit and minerals can cause alot of our symptoms maybe talk to your Dr and see if any supplements can help. Sadly the FDA requirements for D3 are outdated in my opinion im no Dr. Look on RU-vid for people stories with low D3 its insane
