Topic - Catastrophic Thinking. “I’m stupid. I’m a failure. Nothing works out. I won’t get into college. I won’t graduate and get a job. I’ll be living out of a box. Will you let me live in the garage?”
The all or none kid. He goes from one extreme to another; you’re exhausted keeping him somewhere in the middle.
Sean doesn’t remember the hundreds of times he made these “doomsday predictions” and they never happened; he just defaults to catastrophic thinking.
Several things could be going on.
He’s really afraid that everything will go wrong, he’s looking for reassurance or, he doesn’t know how to ask for help and by making these pronouncements, you’ll come running.
If Sean’s negative about everything, get him some help, but if he goes off the deep end when he’s frustrated, he needs to develop coping skills.
First, when he’s not in a panic, sit him down and point out the behaviors.
Second, give him a “recipe” to manage crises and words to describe his feelings.
Last, teach him how to ask you for help in an appropriate way.
