A number of techniques are used to deal with catastrophic thoughts. These could stem from a past and future event. It could be rooted in a childhood experience or it could be an obsessive compulsive behaviour.

Depending on the causes, different modalities are applied. If thoughts are rooted in a painful memory, EMDR, Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing has been known to be highly effective in decoupling pain from the memory and bringing more adaptive resolution and understanding of the painful memory or trauma.

If these are involuntary and repetitive thoughts that are more rooted in anxiety and as a habit, Cogntivie Behavioural Therapy is known to be highly effective with technqiues such as thought stopping and challenging your compulsive patterns.

Mindfullness based intervention such as observer –based participation is a hgihly effective technique as well.