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Melody12234's avatar

What is it called when your mind creates multiple worse-case scenarios & makes them even worse when afraid?

Asked by Melody12234 (101points) July 9th, 2019 from iPhone

I have a fear of heights. When I get close to a cliff or some sort of drop, my mind starts to wander to countless horrible scenarios… “What if that guy over there tripped and fell off?” “What if I were to stand here and someone pushed me?” Is there a name for something like this? Maybe paranoia of some sort?

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9 Answers

RedDeerGuy1's avatar

Catastrophizing.

kritiper's avatar

Extreme general paranoia.

jca2's avatar

Anxiety.

Hawaii_Jake's avatar

It sounds like anxiety.

flutherother's avatar

It could tend towards a form of obsessive compulsive disorder.

rebbel's avatar

Anxiety.

flo's avatar

Ruminating? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rumination_(psychology)
“Rumination is the focused attention on the symptoms of one’s distress, and on its possible causes and consequences, as opposed to its solutions,...”

Hawaii_Jake's avatar

Anxiety is part of many mental illnesses, and it can be its own illness. Please see a doctor.

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