In chapter 5, I thought it was important how they mentioned that catastrophizing can be detrimental to one’s longevity of life. However, catastrophizing involves your thoughts, and thoughts can be changed and improved. Catastrophizing, believing that having one significant problem is a sign that lots and lots of bad things will follow, is dangerous.
One thing I found really crucial about the research involving the Terman subjects, is that the researchers went beyond the original finding, that catastrophizing directly correlated with suicide rates. The researchers went deeper, to figure out what factors could potentially predict suicide. Relevant elements of mental health that increase the risk of suicide include, depression, substance abuse, anxiety, instability, and past attempted suicide. This research can be used to identify people that are now at an increased risk for suicide, and getting them professional help.