Rebecca B. Skolnick, PhD, a licenced clinical psychologist and co-founder of MindWell NYC, told POPSUGAR that everyone has thoughts going through our minds each day, some of which are more accurate or helpful than others. If you're having intrusive, disturbing thoughts about negative things happening, "turn those thoughts into predictions and then evaluate the likelihood based on evidence," she said.
As an example, Dr. Skolnick said that, if you're worried about a family member getting sick, you can check the facts by comparing what you know with the thoughts you've had. "Based on that information, you can determine how likely it is that your worry is going to come true," she said, adding that you can also walk yourself through the worst case scenario, best case scenario, and most likely scenarios in order to get a more realistic picture of what's likely to occur.
"When thinking about the worst case scenario, it is useful to then think about how you can cope effectively if this were to come true, even if it is unlikely," Dr. Skolnick advised. "These tools are helpful in bringing in more rationale and well-rounded perspectives since anxiety tends to make us focus on the negative or catastrophize situations."