Decatastrophise: write down your worries and challenge how likely they are
Reviewed By
Donna Bottomley - Psychotherapist, MBABCP accredited, 10+ years in CBT and EMDR
We all have worrying thoughts, but when they don’t go away on their own it can be helpful to write them down and challenge the reality of them coming true. This decatastrophising exercise helps you challenge worst-case scenarios, see them for what they are and refocus your valuable energy on more probable outcomes.
Free to try · Responses are private & encrypted
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What does the Decatastrophise Journal cover?
- The worry you are caught up in
- What would happen if it came true and how you would cope
- How likely it is, and your chances of being okay in a day, a week, a year
- Past experiences that suggest the worry is not true
- The most likely outcome
Who is this Decatastrophise Journal for?
Helpful if you:
🌪️ Jump to worst-case scenarios
😰 Have worries that will not go away on their own
🧮 Want to weigh up how likely a fear really is
For therapists:
Assign Decatastrophise as between-session work for anxiety driven by catastrophic predictions, and pair it with the Catastrophising mini course. Review the client's most likely outcome before the next session. Fully HIPAA and GDPR compliant.
Dr Harriet Mellotte
Clinical Psychologist & CBT Therapist, BABCP
“Offload is a fantastic resource for both clients and therapists. The world of CBT has been lacking an app which enables the sharing of CBT worksheets and homework tasks between clients and therapists, but Offload completely does this, making the service we offer more professional and the benefits to clients greater.”
Frequently asked questions
What does decatastrophising mean?
Decatastrophising is a CBT technique for worries that jump to the worst case. You write the worry down, ask what would actually happen and how you would cope, estimate how likely it really is, look for evidence from past experience, and identify the most probable outcome. It shrinks the worry back to its real size.
Why does writing the worry down help?
Worries loop in the mind because they never get examined. On paper a worry has to be stated precisely, and the questions force a comparison between the feared outcome and the likely one. Most people find the written worry looks less certain and less catastrophic than the felt one.
What if my worry is realistic?
Then the exercise shifts from probability to coping. The prompt about how you would cope if it came true is there for exactly that case, and it usually reveals more resources than anxiety lets you see. Realistic worries are better handled with problem-solving, and Offload's Problem Solving journal follows on naturally.
Can my therapist assign this journal?
Yes. Therapists on Offload can assign Decatastrophise as between-session work for anxiety driven by catastrophic predictions, paired with the Catastrophising mini course, and review your most likely outcome before the next session. Your responses are available for them to review beforehand. Fully HIPAA and GDPR compliant.
Are you a therapist?
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