Why Do I Always Think the Worst?

Fresh Air, Strong Steps, Well Minds

Do you ever catch yourself asking:

“What if something bad happens?”

“What if I lose my job?”

“What if they don’t like me?”

When our minds get stuck in these kinds of thoughts, it can feel like we’re constantly waiting for the worst to happen, even when nothing bad has occurred.

If this feels familiar, you're not alone. In Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, we understand this as worry, and it’s important to know that not all worry is the same. There are two main types:

1.     Current (Practical) Worry

2.     Hypothetical (What-if) Worry

Knowing the difference can be a turning point in how we respond to anxious thinking.

Fresh Air: Clear the Mental Fog

Let’s start by understanding the difference:

Current worry is about something real, happening now, and often something you can take action on. For example: “I have a deadline tomorrow and I haven’t started the work yet”

Hypothetical worry is about something that might happen at any given point in the future but hasn’t happened yet. For example: “What if I lose my job one day?”

Our brains treat both types of worry the same, but only one of them is usually helpful. Trying to solve hypothetical worries keeps you stuck in a loop where you begin overthinking things that aren't real problems yet.

Ask yourself:

• Is this happening now, or am I imagining it happening in the future?

• Can I do something about it right now?

If the answer is no, it’s likely a hypothetical worry and you don’t need to engage with it.

Strong Steps: Take Action Where You Can

When you identify a current worry, ask:

• What’s the next small step I can take?

If your worry is about a work deadline, take 10 minutes to make a plan. If it’s about money, schedule time to look at your finances. If it’s about a conversation you need to have, write down what you want to say.

Action gives your brain a sense of control and momentum. It allows you to step forward, rather than spiralling inward, focusing on thoughts.

When it comes to hypothetical worry, action often means letting go, not doing more.

Well Minds: Managing Hypothetical Worry

Hypothetical worry often comes from a place of wanting to feel prepared. But trying to plan for every possible disaster doesn’t make you safer, it just makes you more anxious.

Try to “Postpone the Worry”

• Notice when a ‘what-if’ thought pops up.

“What if I say something stupid in the meeting tomorrow?”

• Label it: “This is a hypothetical worry.”

(It hasn’t happened. It might never happen.)

• Postpone it: Tell yourself,

“I’ll come back to this at 7pm during my worry time if I still feel it’s important.”

Most of the time, the worry will not feel as intense when you revisit it later or it may not come back at all. This practice trains your mind not to treat every worry as urgent or important.

Summary: You Are in Charge

Catastrophic thinking doesn’t make you weak. It’s a sign that your brain is trying to keep you safe. However, you can teach it that not every warning deserves your full attention.

When you learn to tell the difference between what’s real and what’s imagined, you give yourself the chance to respond calmly, rather than react automatically.