View Full Version : Do you think of the worst possible outcome
Of everything?
If I'm being honest I'm looking for people to come forward and agree with me and admit they do it too.
I am a catastrophe thinker. I don't just think of what could happen, I blow things well out of proportion. The thing is it I keep it all to myself, I'm pretty sure if I didn't then people would just see me as a major drama queen.
For example- I go for a smear test, as I'm leaving I convince myself that this time they'll discover the cancer or something else sinister.
I got into a car with a friend who sat behind me, she didn't put her seatbelt on and I kinda convinced myself she was trying to kill me :blush:
My child plays in the garden with his friends and I convince myself someone will come snatch him and I check constantly that he is still there.
The thing is I'm really embarrassed about this, it all sounds pretty standard on these forums I know, but for instance the other day I convinced myself I wouldn't have long left, I was in tears, I was working out how my family would cope with out me, I was mentally planning my funeral :weep:
I know that this isn't 'normal' thinking but can anybody else relate??? I run with my thoughts and turn them into a huge big deal that all seems so real.
I have been diagnosed with OCD and anxiety and possibly PMDD. I'm on no medication as it scares the life out of me incase it makes me worse or gets me hooked.
I guess I'm really looking for reassurance that I'm not (for want of a better word) crazy :whistles:
Rachy-Rach
22-01-14, 13:28
I do this regarding work stuff. There's slim to no chance I mess up but I still worry I'll have seriously harmed someone in some way. Uncertainty is miserable
Thanks rach.
If I invite people over for dinner... I order out. I can't deal with the stress of thinking I've given them food poisoning. My fear of harming others is greater than the fear I'll hurt or harm myself. That's just another example I can think of. Uncertainty is too real for me. You could give me something that is 100% certain and I will still conjure something up that it's not gonna be. Does that even make any sense???
This is a really common thing with people who suffer with anxiety! We do it all the time, it's what causes so much worry and stress.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is a really good way of approaching irrational worries like this, it would be worth looking into it for yourself :)
Rachy-Rach
22-01-14, 13:50
Perfect sense! I live in constant terror that I've done wrong. I've been panicing over the same thing for a week now :'( I don't know what to do. I've stopped crying but I've also stopped sleeping and my mum and husband can see it all over nothing but why can't I?
Honey love and rach I can't thank you enough for taking the time to reply to me. I think if this thread went unanswered I'd panic I was as crazy as I think I am
Someone I know has deleted their facebook.... Well guess what, I've linked that to me, I'm the reason for it, or the reason she's done it is because she knows something about me that I don't know and doesn't want to be the one to tell me. See, now writing that down makes me see that it's totally irrational however I'm still thinking it. Maybe I have a large ego thinking everything is about me??
---------- Post added at 13:58 ---------- Previous post was at 13:56 ----------
Perfect sense! I live in constant terror that I've done wrong. I've been panicing over the same thing for a week now :'( I don't know what to do. I've stopped crying but I've also stopped sleeping and my mum and husband can see it all over nothing but why can't I?
I wish I could give you some peace and make you feel better somehow. Hopefully seeing that you're not alone is going to bring you some peace or reason xx
CBT is definately something worth looking into.
yep , i do this . For instance i worry if i take time off sick it will upset my boss , ill lose my job lose my house etc etc .
CBT is definately something worth looking into.
Interesting. Thankyou x
Rachy-Rach
24-01-14, 14:44
I just had a meeting about work about how I keep thinking I did something wrong last week and that I've caused harm to someone. I feel so much better for it but at the same time it's so embarrassing! The lady was so lovely. Just said to forget about it as if I'd done something wrong she would know about it. She's going to tell my matron about it though so that she's able to offer me support at the lady I've been talking to is leaving in a couple of months. I've been in my job three weeks. I was fine but changing jobs has started everything off again :-( Still, I do feel better for talking to her. Why do we do this to ourselves?!
Glad you feel better about it.
I wish I had the answers live, I really do xxxxxxx:hugs:
I do this all the time. I put off having the kids friends over for tea incase I poison them. Any issues at work I'm convinced are my fault, that I've made an error etc. I had a dream earlier in the week where my grandma died. My husbands grandma is in hospital and I'm convinced the worse will happen because of the dream. My stomach sinks when the phone rings. Obviously I'm convinced it's my fault she's in hospital, that I took some horrible germs/infection round when we last visited (before Xmas).
Oh conkers, are you me??
If I have to have kids over for tea I 'treat' them to macdonalds through fear of cooking for them and poisoning them. My fear of harming other people takes over.
I've never learnt to drive because I don't think I could cope with causing an accident and being responsible for hurting someone. My life seems to be limited by my fears xxx
Catherine S
25-01-14, 00:03
I think its pretty normal to be honest...whatever normal is, Ive lost track after all the years of worrying lol...in fact, perhaps we're the normal ones and its everybody else who isn't! But seriously, I think its in everybody to have these thoughts, yours may be different to mine and mine different to somebody else's but I think its in us all to think in this way, its just that on this forum, we have the luxury of voicing them. Most people wouldn't admitt to it, but on here we can...and that's quite liberating when you think about it. Don't worry too much about your fears, you're not the only one who thinks their fears are extreme when in fact everybody has them :D
It is so liberating being able to voice them.... I'd never write any of this out on my twitter feed or facebook lol
It's comforting knowing I'm not the only one and I'm not indeed cracking up as I once thought x
I read this post and I waited to reply as to see some of the other responses.
Mind you, I don't suffer from anxiety but I have suffered from depression now and again, most recently over the last few months post cancer. I do have an understanding and have studied anxiety and HA rather extensively over the last several months.
Anyway.... I thought about this question and my answer to it is no. I don't always think of the worst possible outcome. I am a realist however and I do take it into consideration. I did so with my cancer diagnosis. The "reality" was pretty grim. If I was to take the statistics, I stood a rather iffy chance at being here. Again, the reality of my situation based on statistics gives me a 50/50 chance of it returning in the first two years, That means that in the next 15 months, I have a 50/50 chance of it returning in which case I'm pretty much a goner. If I make it through the first two years then my odds improve dramatically to 80% for 5 years.
But everyone is different and the odds are based on averages. I'll be 55 in a few weeks. At 47 I had my 1st heart attack and bypass surgery. A month before I was diagnosed with cancer in Nov 2012 I had my 2nd heart attack and stents placed. Both times there was minimal damage to my heart muscle. The doctors point to the sky when they explain why I'm still here as in both instances, the majority of men with blockages like I had would have dropped dead. So there's a reason I'm still here despite all odds. Thank God...literally.
I believe one must "consider" the worst case scenario when faced with a difficult situation. In many ways it helps prepare you should it happen. But to dwell on it and allow it to take over your mind is where the line must be drawn. I realize fully that this is one of the most difficult things to do for the anxiety sufferer. I propose that rather than Google all the negatives, Google the positives. Do you realize you have a better chance of being hit by lightning or having a car accident than getting cancer or many of the other serious illnesses you fear?
So I do think of the worst possible outcome but at the same time it's not in the forefront of my mind. Even now, facing another scope, poke and prod in a month, I'm not too concerned. Yes, I get "scanxiety" leading up to it. "What if" they see something etc. BUT.... I'm Ok with it as I've already come to terms with my mortality. I don't "allow" it to consume me and I use many of the techniques used in CBT. In fact, it's the free course here that has helped me in my latest encounter with Eeyore (depression) and helps me deal with "scanxiety". Useful F'in tool it is indeed!
Positive thoughts :)
Very interesting, I like your outlook on things.
It's late here so I'm going to read that again and have a think about it and then will list again tomorrow.
You have had a time of it haven't you?! Xx
Rennie1989
25-01-14, 12:03
I was talking to my mum about this today. We do this because then we are prepared for the worst case scenario, anything less that happens is a bonus! Although it is not very healthy as you often worry and ponder over situations that are very unlikely to happen. We just have to accept that certain situations will happen, some out of our control, and we will deal with them as and when they happen. We are all strong enough to face things like this without a back-up plan :)
Yep I do this with most things, it's another one of the oh so lovely anxiety symptoms :wacko:
almamatters
25-01-14, 15:52
I have to agree with Rennie, worst case scenario thinking is so common with anxiety sufferers, a pessimist is never disappointed is a saying I use all the time! It's not a useful way of thinking and makes you feel very negative about life. CBT did help to make to try and see things in a more positive light.
I have to agree with Rennie, worst case scenario thinking is so common with anxiety sufferers, a pessimist is never disappointed is a saying I use all the time! It's not a useful way of thinking and makes you feel very negative about life. CBT did help to make to try and see things in a more positive light.
I do feel very negative about life. Such a shame, it really is xxx
almamatters
25-01-14, 16:16
I am sure you will not always feel like this, it is hard to believe things will improve when you are stuck in the middle of anxiety, there is loads of help and support on this forum, glad you have joined xx
Volvoman50
25-01-14, 16:44
Yes i think CBT is a good idea i catastrophe think too often and i am going through CBT for it now which is helpful I would recommended it!
Rennie1989
25-01-14, 17:25
I do feel very negative about life. Such a shame, it really is xxx
Then maybe CBT would benefit you as perceiving life so negatively only makes you feel worse, it's counter-productive.
I do this regarding work stuff. There's slim to no chance I mess up but I still worry I'll have seriously harmed someone in some way. Uncertainty is miserable
I get this about pretty much anything I do. it's debilitating really, I constant have to check I've done things right over and over, it's such a waste of time and makes me so inefficient.
When I've done something or made a decision about something my mind will run away with the thought that my actions/inactions will cause serious harm to someone.
It's been this way for two years now, it caused me to leave one stressful job already. But I feel that whatever line of work I would be in I'd have the same issues, eg if I was a mechanic I'd stress about putting a car back together safely, if I was a bus driver I'd worry about knocking someone over and not realising it, if I was a telephone technician I'd worry about making a wiring mistake and causing a fire.
I've had a pretty rough time recently but things were better when I was doing more exercise and practicing meditation, so maybe try that? I've been having cbt for 18 months also.
You're not alone OP, good luck x
Yes i think CBT is a good idea i catastrophe think too often and i am going through CBT for it now which is helpful I would recommended it!
Just jumping on the bandwagon here. CBT helped me deal with some depression issues.
Positive thoughts
Yea it's a very common way to think when dealing with stress etc, it's a good idea to research catastrophic thinking and how it affects people, the more you understand about this process, the more it'll help you to be objective about things and not be so scared about stuff that's not actually that likely to happen.
I went out and had to take the bus. I took my earphones. I got home and realised I'd lost them.
So- oh no I've lost my earphones
Omg what else have I lost
Omg what if a child finds them
What if the child puts it in their mouth and chokes
Or wraps it round their neck
I could get done for manslaughter
Everyone will know it was my careless fault
My poor parents will be so ashamed. I'm going to lose my family and everything
This is no joke. That was my train of thought just before Xmas
It should have been 'oh no guess I should get some more' end of story.
Thanks for the replies xxx
I went out and had to take the bus. I took my earphones. I got home and realised I'd lost them.
So- oh no I've lost my earphones
Omg what else have I lost
Omg what if a child finds them
What if the child puts it in their mouth and chokes
Or wraps it round their neck
I could get done for manslaughter
Everyone will know it was my careless fault
My poor parents will be so ashamed. I'm going to lose my family and everything
This is no joke. That was my train of thought just before Xmas
It should have been 'oh no guess I should get some more' end of story.
Thanks for the replies xxx
That could be me posting above. Seriously every little thing becomes a massive issue leading to people getting hurt/dying, the manslaughter thing, it goes on and on.
I only usually get over one worry when it's replaced by something else!
Things were better a while back, I was taking SSRIs and having CBT, going to yoga and exercising a fair bit. The the cbt and yoga helped the most I think, look into mindfulness and try to practice it. It might feel silly at first but learning to live in the 'here and now' rather than in an unwritten future will start to improve things, even if it's in 10 minute chunks.
Try reading the book 'Quiet' by Susan Cain, it was recommended to me and helped quite a lot.
The other thing is to try and talk it through with family or friends, my wife has been so incredible and whenever things are getting me down chatting it through really helps! If you don't feel comfortable talking to someone then come back here and post your problems so we can try to help.
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