catastrophise
Assume the worst
To catastrophise is to imagine the worst possible outcome, treating minor setbacks as disasters.
Someone who catastrophises a headache might convince themselves they have a brain tumor.
The tendency often appears in anxiety: I catastrophise every time my boss wants to talk.
Also spelled catastrophize.
Depict with heightened emotion
- overreactRespond disproportionately to something
- hyperbolizeTo exaggerate extravagantly
- inflateFill with gas
- amplifyIncrease in strength
escalate · overstate · blow out of proportion · make a mountain out of a molehill · overestimate · sensationalize · embellish · overplay
Persistent apprehensive distress
- dreadIntense anticipatory fear
- panicUncontrollable sudden fear
- fearEmotional response to threat
- terrorExtreme, overwhelming fear
apprehension · despair · hopelessness · overwhelm · distress · anguish · hysteria · alarm
Think deeply and repeatedly
- spiralCurve winding around center
- overthinkPonder far too much
- worryTroubled mental state
- fixateFocus obsessively on
obsess · dwell · brood · fret · anticipate · project · imagine · assume
Most unfavorable outcome imaginable
- fatalismDoctrine of inevitable outcomes
- defeatismAcceptance of inevitable failure
- negativityDisposition toward pessimism
- cynicismDistrust of human sincerity
nihilism · bleakness · morbidity · all-or-nothing · black-and-white · absolute · inevitable · irreversible
dramatize
Depict with heightened emotion
- overreactRespond disproportionately to something
- hyperbolizeTo exaggerate extravagantly
- inflateFill with gas
amplify · escalate · overstate · blow out of proportion · make a mountain out of a molehill · overestimate · sensationalize · embellish · overplay · alarmist
anxiety
Persistent apprehensive distress
terror · apprehension · despair · hopelessness · overwhelm · distress · anguish · hysteria · alarm · foreboding
ruminate
Think deeply and repeatedly
fixate · obsess · dwell · brood · fret · anticipate · project · imagine · assume · conclude
worst-case
Most unfavorable outcome imaginable
- fatalismDoctrine of inevitable outcomes
- defeatismAcceptance of inevitable failure
- negativityDisposition toward pessimism
cynicism · nihilism · bleakness · morbidity · all-or-nothing · black-and-white · absolute · inevitable · irreversible · permanent
catastrophiseminimise
Reduce to smallest extent
downplay · stay grounded · play down · rationalise · trivialise
catastrophisestay calm
Remain unruffled
keep calm · de-escalate · keep one's head · let it go · accept
- catastrophic floodingSevere water overflow causing destruction
- catastrophic eventsSeverely damaging large-scale occurrences
- catastrophic lossSevere irreversible damage
catastrophic, catastrophically, catastrophism, catastrophist, catastrophize, catastrophists