The Catastrophes You Imagine May Never Happen
Mental disasters are only the fruit of an imaginative mind. The human being has an incredible capacity for imagination, which in some cases is beneficial and essential to adapt. It helps us in the conception of ingenious ideas to solve problems, in the creation of inventions, stories, works of art …
Our mind is a space in which ideas, thoughts and judgments are born continuously, both about ourselves and about others, or about the world in general. Sometimes these ideas are reflected in reality, that is to say in the external world and in life as it is objectively, but other times they can distort it.
Just as if we were wearing glasses with dirty or fogged lenses, we sometimes interpret external information according to our beliefs and values, according to what we have learned, our experience and our personal experience.
This tendency towards fantasy and unreality, inherently present in all human beings, almost always brings with it harmful emotional and behavioral consequences.
A mind full of catastrophes
A very common example of distorted reality is that which occurs in those suffering from anxiety disorders. We suffer from anxiety because the idea of a possible future threat is formed in our mind. And this alters us emotionally, blocking our flow of thoughts and paralyzing our creativity.
People who suffer from anxiety often have internalized that the world is a dangerous place, and that it is good to always be worried. This is why they believe that it is necessary to always be alert, to catch these threats that can easily turn into catastrophes.
They think that, magically, if they care enough, they will be able to prevent horrible things from happening, as if their thinking could free them from real events.
This way of seeing the future that is always black is called “catastrophism”. It is a cognitive error that makes us interpret the world wrong. In those moments we believe more in our ideas, fears and insecurities than in the concrete facts that we perceive through our senses.
The magical concern
Certainly even in this moment you will have some worries, we all have them, some more and some less. Maybe you already know how to handle it, and it won’t cause you undue anxiety. It is, therefore, a healthy concern, which leads you to seek solutions to a future problem, to address it in the most logical way.
If, on the other hand, your worries are taking over you, it’s best to keep your mind in check. Focus on the present, it’s the only thing that really exists!
When we worry too much, our mood changes. It is normal, because we are convinced that a catastrophe is near, and that we will not get out of it alive… How could we not be nervous? The truth, however, is that there is no catastrophe. As we told you a little while ago, it is important to reduce the imagination rushes of our mind and realize that these disasters that the mind foresees do not exist in reality.
This way the only thing we do is reinforce our concern. So, when we are faced with the next problem or adversity, we will continue to worry, even when anxiety takes us away from sleep … And we will believe that it has saved us: ” Worrying is magical, it saves us from problems!”
Why worry so much ahead of time?
No, worry isn’t magical, and it won’t help you solve problems. It’s absurd, think about it: how could thoughts solve an earthly problem? What helps us face the adversities of life are the actions we put into practice. On the other hand, it is impossible to solve all problems, because there are factors that will always escape our control.
If you are tired of worrying, even if you think it helps, the best thing is to start thinking realistically, cleaning the lenses of your catastrophic glasses, and tidying up your head like a scientist’s desk.
Let’s see: you believe that it is very likely that something will happen to you (get sick, that the plane falls, that your partner leaves you …), but you do not have enough data to prove it. So why do you think this is likely? Grab a pen and paper and try to make a realistic list of the odds of what you fear will happen, and then think about it.
What if you find evidence and continue to believe it will happen? Think that even if that threat is realized, the situation will not necessarily be tragic. Pick up pen and paper, make a list of the real catastrophes happening in the world and compare them to yours. Is it still that bad? Even if the worst thing you can imagine happens to you, you will be able to overcome it.
Finally, be practical. Write down any worries you have every day, starting with the most unlikely and minor ones, and then reflect on your level of control over them. If you have no way to control them, stop wasting time. If, on the other hand, you have it, find solutions using your imagination!
