Avoid catastrophizing. Anxiety is exacerbated by envisioning the worst possible scenario—a process known as “catastrophizing” (for example, your friend doesn’t call back immediately, so you conclude he or she doesn’t like you anymore). It usually starts with a perfectly reasonable worry, and then, through an incorrect assumption, it snowballs out of control. Well, you can’t control noticing the “alarm” in the first place, but you can reduce its negative impact. First, remind yourself of the more likely (and better) outcomes (“Maybe my friend is busy right now”). Second, whether or not the
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