Understanding Catastrophising and How Solution Focused Hypnotherapy Can Help
Hi - My name is Andy Selway-Woolley (he/him) and I’m a Clinical Solution Focused Hypnotherapist and Psychotherapist. I run HeadFirst Hypnotherapy, based in Upper Heyford (near Bicester), Oxfordshire.
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Understanding Catastrophising and How Solution Focused Hypnotherapy Can Help
Catastrophising is a common cognitive distortion where individuals envision the worst possible outcome in any given situation, often blowing things out of proportion. This mental habit can lead to significant stress, anxiety, and a host of other emotional and physical issues. Understanding why we catastrophise and how solution focused hypnotherapy can help is crucial for overcoming this negative thinking pattern.
What is Catastrophising?
Catastrophising involves imagining the worst-case scenario and believing that it is imminent. It’s like looking at a minor issue through a magnifying glass, making it appear much larger and more severe than it actually is. For example, a minor mistake at work might lead someone to fear they will be fired, or a small argument with a friend could be seen as the end of the relationship. This kind of thinking can cause unnecessary distress and impact one’s ability to function effectively.
Examples of Catastrophising
Health Anxiety
An individual notices a mild headache and immediately fears it’s a sign of a serious illness like a brain tumour. Despite medical reassurance, the person remains convinced that something is seriously wrong.
Work-Related Stress
After receiving constructive criticism from a boss, an employee starts to believe that they are on the verge of being fired. They imagine financial ruin and losing their home, despite having a strong work record.
Social Situations
Someone declines an invitation to a party and then becomes convinced that the hosts and all the other guests will hate them for not attending. They envision being socially ostracised and alone.
Why Do We Catastrophise?
The tendency to catastrophise is deeply rooted in our brain’s primitive mechanisms. The human brain has evolved to prioritise survival, and part of this involves the fight-or-flight response. This response is controlled by the amygdala, a part of the brain responsible for detecting threats and preparing the body to either fight or flee.
In our evolutionary past, this response was crucial for survival, helping our ancestors react quickly to life-threatening dangers like predators. However, in the modern world, this mechanism can become overactive, causing us to perceive threats where there are none or to exaggerate minor issues into significant dangers.
When faced with uncertainty or stress, our brain’s primitive parts can hijack rational thinking, leading us to anticipate the worst. This is a protective measure designed to prepare us for potential threats, but it often leads to unnecessary anxiety and stress. The prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for rational thought and problem-solving, can be overridden by the amygdala, resulting in catastrophising thoughts.
How Solution Focused Hypnotherapy Can Help?
Solution focused hypnotherapy (SFH) is a modern approach that combines the use of hypnosis with solution focused brief therapy (SFBT).
This form of therapy helps individuals shift their focus from problems to solutions, fostering a more positive and proactive mindset.
Reducing Anxiety and Stress
Solution focused hypnotherapy helps to calm the mind and body, reducing the overall levels of anxiety and stress. By guiding individuals into a relaxed state, hypnotherapy can help deactivate the fight-or-flight response, allowing the rational part of the brain to regain control. This helps in diminishing the intensity and frequency of catastrophising thoughts.
Rewiring Thought Patterns
In a state of hypnosis, the mind is more open to positive suggestions and imagery. Solution focused hypnotherapy leverages this by encouraging individuals to visualise positive outcomes and solutions instead of fixating on worst-case scenarios. This process helps to create new neural pathways that support healthier thinking patterns and reduce the tendency to catastrophise.
Focusing on Solutions
Solution focused hypnotherapy shifts the focus from dwelling on problems to identifying and working towards solutions. During sessions, individuals are encouraged to set realistic and achievable goals, which helps in building confidence and resilience. This solution oriented approach empowers individuals to handle stressors more effectively, reducing the likelihood of falling into catastrophic thinking.
Enhancing Self-Awareness and Control
Through guided visualisations and positive reinforcement, solution focused hyponotherapy helps individuals become more aware of their thought patterns and emotional responses. This increased self-awareness enables them to recognise when they are starting to catastrophise and employ techniques to counteract these thoughts. Over time, this can lead to greater emotional control and a more balanced perspective on life’s challenges.
Conclusion
Catastrophising is a natural, albeit unhelpful, response rooted in our brain’s primitive survival mechanisms. While it can create significant stress and anxiety, understanding its origins and learning how to manage it can lead to a more balanced and fulfilling life. Solution focused hypnotherapy offers a powerful tool for overcoming this cognitive distortion by reducing anxiety, rewiring thought patterns, focusing on solutions, and enhancing self-awareness and control.
By guiding individuals to envision positive outcomes and equipping them with practical strategies to handle stress, solution focused hypnotherapy can significantly reduce the tendency to catastrophise. This therapeutic approach not only alleviates immediate distress but also fosters long-term mental and emotional resilience, helping individuals lead healthier, happier lives. If you find yourself frequently caught in a cycle of catastrophic thinking, consider exploring solution focused hypnotherapy as a pathway to a more positive and proactive mindset
Want to find out more about how hypnotherapy can help with catastrophising and negative thinking
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The first step to setting yourself free and living the life you want.
My name is Andy Selway-Woolley (he/him) and I am a fully qualified Clinical Solution Focused Hypnotherapist and Psychotherapist. I run HeadFirst Hypnotherapy®, based in Upper Heyford (near Bicester), Oxfordshire.
I assist people in regaining control of their lives by retraining their brains to overcome limiting thought patterns, master their emotions, and cultivate resilient behaviors for a brighter and more positive future.. I know… It’s awesome!
a nutshell, I ‘get you out of your own way’. Because, let’s face it, a lot of us are.
Solution Focused Hypnotherapy taps into the power of your subconscious mind so you can move forward towards the life you’ve always wanted to live. It’s a quick, practical way to address thought patterns, emotions and behaviours that are holding you back in life.
I’m a registered and accredited member of the Complementary & Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC), Association for Solution Focused Hypnotherapy (AfSFH) and National Council for Hypnotherapy (NCH).
Hypnotherapy sessions can be done either in my garden therapy room in Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire (Near Bicester). Ideally situated, it also serves individuals in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire, and Warwickshire and I also work online nationwide via Zoom.