Any Pessimistic Ruminators and Catastrophizers?

[Prisoner]

Hi
Any ruminators and catastrophizers around? I would love to hear what techniques you guys use to manage.

[aml0017]

Is rumination ever not pessimistic? Lol, I'd love to ruminate about good things it'd be a refreshing change of pace. The key is not to try to avoid the thoughts or run away from them. Accept that they are there and remind yourself it is just the anxiety talking, then do something to preoccupy your mind with something different. When the thoughts come back just repeat the process. The worst thing you can do is just give in to the thoughts and let them overwhelm you, this leads to catastrophic thinking and panic attacks.

Sometimes despite your efforts the thoughts will take hold anyway. I find it good to write down my fears and the worst case scenario I am imagining and then write why it is unlikely to happen. Take the thoughts out of your head so to speak.

[MainerMikeBrown]

In the past when I'd get pessimistic, I'd tell myself that if I'm only seeing the bad in life and in my life, then I wasn't doing myself any favors, and I wasn't being honest with myself, as not everything in this world and in my life is bad. As a matter of fact, their's lots of positives in my life and in the world.

[Prisoner]

I am at the stage where I can recognize every time I start catastrophizing, but rarely can I make myself stop. Knowing something on an intellectual level never seems to lessen the negative emotional impact of it. I always get overwhelmed, and then start ruminating and panic.

Sadly the silliest most trivial and unimportant things set me off. I have no buffer against handling things going wrong. I always feel everything is going to be a complete disaster, but obviously it very rarely is.