Like, if your teenager doesn’t answer their phone, they must have been abducted? Or if your husband is late coming home from work, he was probably in an accident?

Well, according to clinical psychologist Dr. Martin Seif, pretty much everybody has dark thoughts from time to time. And we humans are bad at assessing risk. So our fears are usually way out of proportion to the chances of actual danger. And worrying is part of human nature. When we have something valuable – like loved ones – it’s natural to worry about something bad happening. It only becomes a problem if those worries start controlling your life, or you try to control the lives of others because of your irrational fears. Also, Dr. Seif explains that scary thoughts you can’t shake can be a symptom of anxiety or depression. If that describes you, consider talking to a therapist.

Follow me on Facebook