Mental Strength An Effective Tool for Dealing With Catastrophic Thoughts By Amy Morin, LCSW Amy Morin, LCSW Amy Morin, LCSW, is a psychotherapist and international bestselling author. Her books, including "13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do," have been translated into more than 40 languages. Her TEDx talk, "The Secret of Becoming Mentally Strong," is one of the most viewed talks of all time. Learn about our editorial process Published on October 07, 2022 Print Verywell / Julie Bang Table of Contents View All Table of Contents Friday Fix: Episode 204 More About the Podcast On The Verywell Mind Podcast, Amy Morin, LCSW, shares the “Friday Fix”—a short episode featuring a quick, actionable tip or exercise to help you manage a specific mental health issue or concern. Follow Now: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts / RSS Friday Fix: Episode 204 We all imagine catastrophic things happening sometimes. Maybe whenever a loved one doesn’t reply to a text message right you automatically think something terrible has happened to them. Or perhaps every time your boss asks you to meet, you assume that you’re about to get fired. Not only do catastrophic thoughts overestimate how bad things are going to be, but they also underestimate our ability to cope if something bad does happen. You might tell yourself that you’d be completely destroyed if you got laid off or that you’d never recover if your love interest broke up with you. Catastrophic thoughts cause us to feel awful. And they can keep us from taking productive action if you let them. While you can’t stop them from happening, you can choose how you respond to them. It’s a common issue we address in the therapy office–skills for managing catastrophic thoughts. In this episode of The Verywell Mind Podcast, I share a strategy that can help take some of the sting out of those catastrophic thoughts. I also explain how to move forward in a productive way even when your brain is dwelling on the worst-case scenario. Cognitive Distortion and How Negative Thoughts Affect PTSD More About the Podcast The Verywell Mind Podcast is available across all streaming platforms. If you like the show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. Reviews and ratings are a great way to encourage other people to listen and help them prioritize their mental health too. Editor’s Note: Please be mindful that this transcript does not go through our standard editorial process and may contain inaccuracies and grammatical errors. Thank you. For media or public speaking inquiries, contact Amy here. Download the Transcript Links and Resources Follow Amy Morin on Instagram Check out Amy’s books on mental strength If You Liked This Episode You Might Also Like These Episodes: Friday Fix: How to Find Inner Strength When You Need It the Most How to Change the Story You Tell Yourself With Psychotherapist Lori Gottlieb Friday Fix: How to Respond to Unhelpful Thoughts 10 Cognitive Distortions That Can Cause Negative Thinking By Amy Morin, LCSW Amy Morin, LCSW, is a psychotherapist and international bestselling author. Her books, including "13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do," have been translated into more than 40 languages. Her TEDx talk, "The Secret of Becoming Mentally Strong," is one of the most viewed talks of all time. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit