Strategies for Dealing with Catastrophic Thinking

Catastrophic Thinking

If you find yourself worrying excessively, it can seem like negative thoughts are running through your head on endless repeat. You may feel like you’re spiraling out of control, going crazy, or about to burn out under the weight of all this anxiety. But there are steps you can take right now to  give yourself a time out from relentless worrying.

 

Strategies for dealing with Catastrophic Thinking

Breathing Techniques

  1. Three Breathing Exercises and Techniques – DrWeil.com​

  2. Breathing Techniques for Stress Relief – WebMD

Challenge or Dispute Your Thoughts

  1. Catastrophic Thinking – Psychology Today​

  2. What You Can Do When You Can’t Stop Thinking About Something – Psychology Today

  3. 8 Tips to Help Stop Ruminating – Psych Central

Postpone Worrying

  1. Postpone Your Worry (PDF) –  Center for Clinical Interventions

  2. Practice 1. Postpone Your Worries – Anxieties.com

  3. Reduce Anxiety by Scheduling Worry Time – A Woman’s Health

Practice Mindfulness

  1. Benefits of Mindfulness – HelpGuide.org​

  2. Guided Mindfulness Meditation on Controlling Negative Thoughts (15 Minutes) – YouTube

  3. Mindfulness Dissolves Thoughts — Attention Is What’s Left Over, with Jon Kabat-Zinn – YouTube

Problem Solving vs Worrying/ Solvable vs Unsolvable

Worrying and problem solving are two very different things. Problem solving involves evaluating a situation, coming up with concrete steps for dealing with it, and then putting the plan into action. Worrying, on the other hand, rarely leads to solutions. No matter how much time you spend dwelling on worst-case scenarios, you’re no more prepared to deal with them should they actually happen.​​

  1. How to Stop Worrying – HealthGuide.org​

  2. How to Stop Worrying About Things You Can’t Change – Psychology Today

  3. Worrying Doesn’t Solve Your Problems, It Is the Problem – News.com.au

  4. How to Stop Overthinking Everything and Find Peace of Mind – Lifehacker.com

Redirect Your Thoughts

  1. 2-Minute Trick to Calm Your Racing Mind

  2. The Art of Redirecting Negative Thoughts – The Chopra Center

  3. How to Put a Stop to Catastrophic Thinking – Psychology Today

  4. Getting stuck in the negatives (and how to get unstuck) | Alison Ledgerwood | TEDxUCDavis

Sound Therapy

417 Hz | Wipes out all the Negative Energy – MeditativeMind Youtube​

Talk to Someone About Your Thoughts

  1. Therapists in Canada – Psychology Today​

  2. Canadian Cancer Society

  3. Melanoma Connect Facebook Group

  4. Melanoma Wellness Canada – HealthUnlocked

Listed above are a few sources of information and support you might find useful. These groups are not connected to Save Your Skin Foundation. We are providing the links as useful sources of information but do not monitor content for accuracy and quality.

 

NOTE: The information on the Save Your Skin website is not intended to replace the medical advice of a doctor or healthcare provider. While we make every effort to ensure that the information on our site is as current as possible, please note that information and statistics are subject to change as new research and studies are published. 

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