† caˈtastrophize Obs.—0
‘To end a Comedy or the like’ (Cockeram 1623).
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▸ a. intr. To conjecture or perceive disastrous implications or scenarios; to regard a relatively innocuous situation as considerably worse than it actually is.
| 1962 A. Ellis Reason & Emotion in Psychotherapy iii. 71 More specifically, he should perceive his own tendency to catastrophize about inevitable unfortunate situations—to tell himself: ‘Oh, my Lord! How terrible this situation is; I positively cannot stand it!’ 1990 J. Bradshaw Homecoming i. 22 Fear addicts tend to catastrophize and awfulize. 2001 Good Housek. Feb. 115/1 If you tend to catastrophize,..imagine how your current troubles would have seemed to you ten years ago and how they might seem ten years from now. |
b. trans. To interpret as disastrous. Also (Psychol.): to perceive (a symptom, esp. one which is relatively mild) as more severe than it actually is.
| 1986 D. P. Brown & E. Fromm Hypnotherapy & Hypnoanalysis vii. 265 They may overreact to or even catastrophize everyday hassles. 1991 New Age Jrnl. Apr. 42/1 A pessimist, by contrast, will ‘catastrophize’ the rebuff, concluding that he was dumped because he is a congenital jerk. 1999 Jrnl. Counseling & Devel. 77 210/2 Conversely, the authors have found that individuals with anxiety disorders tend to focus on and catastrophize their physiological and emotional symptoms, thus presenting a more acute picture of their symptoms (more intense, longer duration) than actual monitoring reveals. |
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▸ catastrophizing n. and adj.
| 1962 A. Ellis Reason & Emotion in Psychotherapy iii. 71 He should perceive his own tendency to catastrophize about inevitable unfortunate situations..and should question and challenge this *catastrophizing. 1988 J. Bradshaw Healing Shame that binds You ii. x. 195 Catastrophizing results from having no boundaries or sense of worth. 2000 A. Wells Emotional Disorders & Metacognition vi. 99 The procedure strengthens hypervigilance and does not contain information that can correct faulty catastrophising appraisals. |