The Shyness & Social Anxiety Workbook
124Challenging Catastrophic Thinking
Challenging catastrophic thinking requires shifting the focus of your thoughts from 
how terrible a particular outcome would be to how you might manage or cope with 
the situation if it were to occur. One of the most effective ways of overcoming your 
 catastrophic thoughts is to ask yourself questions like the following:
UÊSo what?
UÊWhat if my fears actually come true?
UÊHow can I cope with            if it were to occur?
UÊWould              really be as terrible as I think?
UÊDoes this really matter in the big scheme of things?
UÊWill I care about this a month from now? A year from now?
In many cases, you will realize that even if your fear does come true, it won’t be the 
end of the world. You will cope with the situation, and your discomfort will pass. Below 
you will see a discussion between Aimee and her therapist illustrating how to use this 
technique to challenge catastrophic thoughts related to asking someone out on a date.
Aimee:   I am terriﬁed of asking anyone out on a date for fear of rejection.
Therapist:   Is there a particular person whom you have considered asking out?
Aimee:    There is a guy in one of my classes. I’ve sat with him a few times. The class 
ends just before lunch, so I’ve thought of asking him to have lunch with 
me.
Therapist:    What’s stopping you? What do you think might happen if you ask him to 
join you for lunch?
Aimee:    Mostly, I am afraid he won’t be interested in me. I will put him on the spot