Catastrophising thoughts

[damianjmcgrath]

How do people stop their mind imagining the worst?

For example, right now, I'm lying in bed, in a hotel, with a very drunk wife and a 3 year old, and I've got a discomfort in my left side, by my hip bone. It feels really weird like it could be a blockage or appendicitis (probably not but my head goes straight there!).

Straight away, I'm imagining a situation where the paramedics are coming to get me, and I'm being whisked off to hospital.

I worry that if I collapse or I'm suddenly in a lot worse pain, no one in my room could help me.

I worry that the reception at this hotel closed at 10 so I'd have to try and get through to the night porter might could take a while.

I obviously worry there's something seriously wrong with me because all the time I'm thinking this, it's getting worse.

How do I stop?

I tried listening to music or doing something else but could still feel the discomfort/pain and it worried me more that distraction didn't help!

[NancyW]

I had a similar pain for almost a year before I went to the dr.

I imagined all sorts of awful things.

Dr told me our colon likes to spasm in the 4 corners, that means under the ribs right and left and near the hip bones right and left. She told me our digestive system is a muscular system and prone to contracting and spasming.
She told me I needed to eat more fiber, I thought she was crazy, I had no issues going to the bathroom.

In the end, she was right. It took some time but eventually I relaxed and my intestines relaxed too.

I think you're going to be just fine.

[damianjmcgrath]

I think deep-down I know that but my instinctive first thought is straight to the bad place. I don't know to stop that. Does anyone have any advice?

[swgrl09]

Honestly it takes a lot of practice. These thoughts become automatic for us. CBT is a really good way to work on reducing catastrophic thinking, among other types of unhelpful thoughts that keep us feeling poorly.

A way to start would be rationalizing the thoughts when you feel scared. Think about the facts, as opposed to what would be worst-case scenario. For a while you will still think the worst at first, but with practice you can train your brain to think differently.

You should take a look at CBT4Panic - there's a link on this site somewhere. It's an online course. Or just google CBT and you can find a lot of resources. Have you seen a therapist?

Remember though that it takes practice. It's like exercise. If you live your life sitting on the couch, you won't be able to run a marathon tomorrow. You have to start conditioning yourself.

[dale12345]

Ibs causes alot of pain. Colon spasms are scary, but harmless as far as something that can really hurt you. I am starting Cbt for the bleakness my brain is always filled with. Just have had 2 sessions. Hoping it will help