Those beset by feelings of anxiety are of course most prone to catastrophising. Our loved one is to spend time with an attractive new client at work: clearly they will fall in love. We have a sore leg: we must have a ripped tendon, or worse. We have picked at a spot: we will always be scarred and more prone to skin cancer. The language we use when we catastrophise becomes unnecessarily emotional, and contrasts become starker. Two experiences of being ignored at parties translates into ‘I’m always blanked by people … I’ll never find a partner because I’m just worthless’.
