Why does anxiety make me keep thinking of bad things?

First: First, let s make sure bad things doesn t mean anything dangerous (if that s the case obviously you should go to an er, see a psychiatrist asap, etc..). If there is no danger, think: a vicious circle, thinking bad things triggers the next anxiety episode (and that is where you can intervene preventing it, maybe?). Discuss it in therapy, it s great thing to talk. Past experiences can do that.

Blame Your Neocortex: Our primitive brain centers r in charge of sensing danger & quickly preparing us 2fend it off/get away from it. While those centers r kicking us into gear, more sophisticated brain centers start asking what's happening & coming up w/theories...Interpreting the signals coming thru sight/sound/smell/taste/touch. Our higher centers will interpret even when primitive ones are responding 2false alarms!