Logic and a calm support network are the answer

Like any habit, catastrophising is hard to break. Habits are stubborn, and in many cases, people have behaved the same way for years, perhaps decades.

Blair said a bad habit is always ready to jump back into your life, especially when you get highly emotional. But the solution is to learn to be rational and calm.

For example, in the case of imagining a plane crash, Blair asks her clients to look at the statistics for airline crashes on their phone. Then, she tells them to look at the statistics for crashes with that particular airline.

“And I say ok, a minute ago you said you were 100% certain that this terrible thing was going to happen, what percent would you give it now? And it’s always lower,” she said.

People then tend to see how rewarding it is to focus on the logical answers, rather than letting their imaginations get carried away. The more impulsive you are, the more likely to are to slip back into old habits, Blair said, but it just takes practise and persistence to learn to slow down and go to logic first.

Another solution she recommended is making a list of your most calm and sensible friends, and telling them you may phone them once in a while, as you sometimes feel out of control.

“The best way to gain perspective [on your worries] is to talk with someone else and put it outside you,” Blair said. “You don’t have to rush to a therapist… but it’s hard work. It takes a good season, a good three months, sometimes six months, to start to change a habit.”

So the next time you sense yourself spiraling over the fact your parents are late and could have been in an accident, or even something smaller like the fact someone isn’t texting you back, take a breath and try to think objectively. Also, be aware of the fact you’re trying to change, because it’s not easy to adjust our behaviour.

“You must be kind to yourself and patient, and recognise the more emotional you are the more likely you are to not remember to do it right,” Blair said. “Then, when we’re still and we’re calm, and things are under regulation, we get a chance to be logical.”

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