Catastrophize

I finally have a word for the way my Mother and I manage feeling overwhelmed.

ca·tas·tro·phize

verb: to view or talk about (an event or situation) as worse than it actually is, or as if it were a catastrophe.

Origin:
1960–1965; catastrophe + ize

When something feels like it is too much to bear, we go ahead and make it even worse than it is. We talk about every worst case scenario and how it is very possible it is entirely insurmountable. This results in the other person having no choice but to disagree and relate all the other possible outcomes and possibilities for redemption.

If we catastrophize something, there is a guarantee our comrade on the other side of the table or other end of the phone line will come back at us with some sort of hopeful wisdom. We set up our friends and family for success because our dramatics give them no option but to sound more sane than we do.

Thanks Chels, for giving me a word to accurately describe a family trait.