"I'm positive that none of my friends will ever speak to me
again!" Yesterday, a middle-school student tearfully made this
announcement in our counseling session. One of her dear, trusted
friends had revealed my client's deepest, darkest secrets to her
other friends. And, now, she is sure everyone will hate her.
Another student was sure her parents would divorce after an
argument the night before. A teacher wondered if a recent minor
financial setback would lead her family into financial ruin.
Highly unlikely, I reasoned in each case. It may seem like the
world is ending, but it really isn't! Thinking that a major
catastrophe is likely to follow a minor disappointment or mishap
is a common thinking error that psychologist refer to as
"catastrophizing." It is so common in my practice, in fact, that
I specifically talk about it with most of my adolescent clients.
Catastrophizing is part of a whole set of thinking errors that
people often make that contribute to depression, anxiety, and
other emotional problems.