Why One Small Problem Becomes the Worst-Case Scenario in Your Head

A late reply, a weird tone in an email, a missed call, and within minutes your mind has built an entire disaster around it.

That jump, small problem to worst possible outcome, has a name: catastrophizing, and it's not really about the situation at all.

It's a prediction system trying to protect you by preparing for the worst first, so nothing can catch you off guard, even though it usually just guarantees you suffer the disaster twice, once in your head and once for real if it happens at all.

The fix isn't "just think positive." It's catching the jump itself, the exact moment a small fact turns into a big story, before the story runs the rest of the way on its own.