Why Do I Always Worry About Things That Haven’t Happened Yet?
- Navneet Kaur
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
You're going about your day when a thought pops into your head: What if something goes wrong tomorrow? What if I say the wrong thing? What if I lose everything? You try to push it away, but your mind latches on, spiraling into a web of imagined disasters.
Sound familiar?
If you find yourself constantly playing out worst-case scenarios that haven’t happened, and may never happen, you’re not alone. This kind of mental pattern is known as catastrophizing, and it's a common feature of anxiety about the future.
For many people, it can feel exhausting, paralyzing, and impossible to stop.
So, why do we do it? And more importantly, how can we break the cycle?
Let’s take a deeper look at why your brain gets stuck in overthinking, what it’s really trying to do, and how therapy can help you gain control over the constant “what ifs.”
What Is Catastrophizing?
Catastrophizing is a cognitive distortion, meaning it’s a pattern of thinking that doesn’t reflect reality. It leads you to assume the worst will happen, even when there’s little evidence to support it. Here’s how it typically works:
A neutral event occurs—or even just a thought.
Your brain jumps to the worst-case scenario.
You start to believe that outcome is inevitable.
You feel anxious, panicked, or overwhelmed.
For example:
You get an email from your boss with no context. You assume you’re in trouble or about to be fired.
Your partner doesn’t respond to a text right away. You assume they’re upset or losing interest.
You feel a mild ache and immediately worry it’s something serious.
Your brain fills in the blanks with fear.
Why Do We Catastrophize?
It might seem irrational, but catastrophizing is your brain’s way of trying to protect you. If it can predict danger, it thinks it can help you avoid pain. The problem is, it often confuses possibility with probability, just because something could happen doesn't mean it's likely. Common reasons people catastrophize include:
Anxiety disorders that heighten sensitivity to uncertainty
Past trauma, especially if you've experienced loss or betrayal
Perfectionism, where anything less than ideal feels like failure
Growing up in chaotic or unpredictable environments
A belief that if you expect the worst, you won’t be caught off guard
In reality, though, this pattern creates constant tension and hypervigilance, making it hard to feel present, joyful, or secure.
Signs You’re Stuck in the Cycle of Overthinking
If you're unsure whether you're catastrophizing or just being cautious, here are some signs:
You rehearse conversations or events over and over in your mind.
You play out every possible way something could go wrong.
You struggle to make decisions for fear of negative outcomes.
You feel exhausted from trying to plan for every scenario.
Even when things are going well, you're waiting for the “other shoe to drop.”
You often ask yourself, “What’s wrong with me?” for worrying so much.
The more you feed these thoughts, the stronger they get, which is why breaking the cycle requires more than just “thinking positive.”
How Anxiety About the Future Affects Your Daily Life
Chronic overthinking doesn’t just live in your head. It can affect your:
Sleep, leading to insomnia or racing thoughts at night
Appetite, either through stress eating or loss of appetite
Relationships, by causing neediness, withdrawal, or constant reassurance-seeking
Career, through procrastination, perfectionism, or imposter syndrome
Self-esteem, as you question your ability to cope or trust yourself
It’s more than just “worrying.” It’s a loop of fear, self-doubt, and mental exhaustion.
How to Break the Overthinking Cycle
Catastrophizing feels automatic, but it’s a habit you can learn to interrupt. Here are a few tools that can help:
1. Catch the Thought, Name It
Awareness is the first step. When you feel anxiety rise, pause and ask:
“What am I afraid will happen?”
“Am I jumping to conclusions or imagining a worst-case scenario?”
Labeling the thought as catastrophizing helps create distance between the fear and the facts.
2. Ground Yourself in the Present
Your anxious brain lives in the future. Grounding tools help bring you back:
The 5-4-3-2-1 method (five things you can see, four you can touch, etc.)
Deep, slow breathing
Naming what is true right now (example: “Right now, I’m safe and at home.”)
3. Challenge the Narrative
Ask yourself:
“How likely is it that this will actually happen?”
“What evidence do I have for and against this fear?”
“If it did happen, how would I cope?”
You’ve survived hard things before. Give yourself credit for that.
4. Limit “What If” Time
Give yourself a specific window—say, 15 minutes—to journal or reflect on your worries. Then shift into something grounding: go for a walk, call a friend, or focus on a task.
This prevents anxiety from taking over your entire day.
5. Talk to a Therapist Who Gets It
Sometimes the thoughts feel too big to untangle alone. That’s where therapy comes in. A skilled therapist can help you:
Identify your specific overthinking triggers
Understand the root of your catastrophizing
Learn practical, evidence-based strategies for anxiety
Rewire unhelpful thought patterns
Rebuild confidence and emotional resilience
How Therapy Can Help You Let Go of What Hasn’t Happened Yet
At Safe Space Counseling, we understand that anxiety doesn’t always make sense on paper, but it feels very real. You don’t need to justify your fears to us. We’re here to help you move through them. Therapy can provide the space to:
Unpack your fears without judgment
Learn how your nervous system responds to stress
Develop tools to calm your mind and body
Reconnect with the present moment instead of getting stuck in “what if”
You don’t have to stay stuck in your head. You can learn how to trust yourself, your resilience, and your ability to face uncertainty with strength.
You’re Not Alone in Overthinking
Anxiety about the future is one of the most common reasons people seek therapy, and for good reason. We live in a world full of unpredictability. But that doesn’t mean you have to live in fear.
If you’re tired of living with anxiety that never seems to turn off, if you want to stop catastrophizing and start feeling grounded again, therapy can help.
Book a session with Safe Space Counseling today and learn how to shift from "what if" to "what is."
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