We are talking about a cognitive distortion in which a person automatically imagines the worst-case scenario for the development of events. It can manifest itself in everyday situations, explains Dr. Tom Zobler of Pegasus Psychiatry Associates.
For example, upon receiving an invitation to a meeting with a manager, an employee may immediately think about possible dismissal, although there were no previous signs of problems at work. Or when a loved one is a little late and does not respond to messages, disturbing images of an accident or other tragedy may arise in the mind, although there is also no evidence of this.
According to Zobler, catastrophizing stems from a natural survival mechanism—the human tendency to react to potential threats and “anticipate danger” in advance. Normally, this helps protect oneself, but in chronic form, the threat recognition system becomes overly sensitive and begins to react to almost any event. Thinking then becomes self-defeating as the person constantly expects the worst and may avoid actions or opportunities out of fear of a negative outcome.
Bunmi Olatunji, a professor of psychology and psychiatry at Vanderbilt University, adds that during periods of global instability—such as war, economic crises, or pandemics—people tolerate uncertainty significantly less well, and this increases the tendency toward catastrophic thinking.
External stressors also make it difficult to discern whether it's a realistic assessment or an exaggeration, he said.
Chronic catastrophizing can impact quality of life, causing people to avoid opportunities and make decisions based on fear.
At the same time, psychologists note that there are techniques that help reduce this condition. In particular, within the framework of cognitive behavioral therapy, a person is asked to realistically assess the likelihood of a worst-case scenario by comparing it with objective facts. For example, a person who is afraid of a plane crash may realize that the probability of tragedy in a flight is very low, and compare this with driving a car every day.
Another approach is cognitive distancing: it helps you perceive anxious thoughts not as facts, but as assumptions. According to Zobler, adding the phrase “I think that…” creates emotional distance.
Other approaches include “observing” anxious thoughts “from the outside.” For example, it is advised to “see” thoughts in the form of leaves floating along a river: observe and not cling to them. Experts also recommend setting aside specific “worry time,” where a person is asked to “play out the worst scenarios in their head” for a specific period of time (for example, 10 minutes).
Experts note that not every case of catastrophizing needs therapy, but if anxious thoughts become persistent and interfere with daily life, you should seek professional help.
Context
In August 2025, the All-Ukrainian mental health program “Ti yak?” reported that approximately 47% of Ukrainians have high levels of stress, while the rest have a certain level of resilience that helps them adapt to challenges. This is evidenced by the results of a study conducted jointly with UNICEF. The most common sources of stress respondents named were financial difficulties, air raids, news and domestic conflicts, and among children – educational exams and tests.
