How to overcome overthinking

Overthinking can affect a person’s well-being and mental health. Learn more about overthinking to recognize the signs of overthinking. Learn the types of overthinking and how to deal with it and relieve stress. What is overthinking?

 

Overthinking is a habitual way of thinking that involves overthinking certain events or situations and analyzing a scenario for a long time. The classic definition of overthinking is “thinking about something too much or for too long.” The question arises: “When does thinking become excessive?” When you can't turn off your worries, you ruminate incessantly and worry about things beyond your control. As a result, you become unable to make decisions and force thoughts out of your head.

 

Overthinking can be difficult to deal with because you may think that thinking about the situation for a long time will help you come up with the best solution and deal with the problem. However, overthinking a situation, imagining worst-case scenarios, or constantly re-evaluating your decisions is mentally draining and can fuel negative thoughts and emotions.

 

Why overthinking is bad for you

Overthinking and worrying are part of human nature. However, uncontrolled overthinking and destructive thought patterns can become habits and negatively impact a person's physical well-being.

 

Overthinking can trigger the release of the stress hormone cortisol in the nervous system. Excess cortisol can cause increased anxiety and other physical symptoms, including muscle tension, headaches, fatigue, rapid heart rate and dry mouth.

 

Excessive overthinking can also trigger the development of mental disorders and diseases. For example, people with mental disorders are more likely to overthink and experience increased levels of anxiety. Overthinking only makes anxiety, stress, and depression worse.

 

Emotions can impair the ability to think and objectively assess a situation. Therefore, you need to learn not to think too much by using simple techniques and habits. Controlling your thoughts is the best thing you can do for your overall mental health.

 

Signs that you may be overthinking

Signs of overthinking may include an inability to relax, constant worry and anxiety, feelings of mental exhaustion, repetitive and distressing thoughts, obsessing over things that cannot be controlled, doubting decisions made, thinking about worst-case scenarios, replaying experiences and scenarios in your head, and constantly negative thoughts.

 

Why does overthinking occur?

There are various reasons why you may find yourself in a state of constant brooding. With our fast-paced lives, our brains are susceptible to negative thoughts, mental health problems, and even toxic environments like noise pollution.

 

Anxiety disorders and other mental illnesses

Although overthinking can cause anxiety, it is not a mental illness. However, it can often play a role in the development of a number of mental illnesses. Disorders associated with brooding include depression, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and social anxiety disorder (SAD).

 

Fear

One of the most common causes of overthinking is fear. When people experience fear, they tend to ruminate and dwell on worst-case scenarios. Thus, fear can lead to a cycle of negative thinking, which makes it difficult to focus on positive outcomes and leads to feeling stuck.

 

Uncertainty about the future

Uncertainty about what may or may not happen leads to overthinking. When people are unsure of what might happen, they worry and spend a lot of time imagining worst-case scenarios, mentally preparing for all possible scenarios.

 

Traumas of the past

Trauma is also one of the factors that can cause excessive brooding. People who are experiencing or have experienced trauma in their lives are more susceptible to excessive rumination.

 

Experiencing a traumatic event or series of events can disrupt feelings of safety and stability, leading to increased anxiety and vigilance. Intrusive thoughts and memories associated with trauma can become overwhelming, making it difficult to break free from repetitive and oppressive thought patterns.

 

People who have experienced trauma may constantly revisit events, trying to make sense of what happened or looking for ways to prevent it from happening in the future. Reframing can serve as both a coping mechanism and an attempt to regain control of a situation or prepare for potential threats.

 

In addition, trauma can negatively impact self-esteem by causing increased self-criticism, which contributes to overthinking and self-doubt. Recognizing the impact of trauma on excessive thinking is critical to developing effective strategies to treat and manage these thought patterns.

 

3 Common Types of Overthinking

There are different types of overthinking. Three common types include catastrophizing, overgeneralizing and all-or-nothing thinking.

 

Catastrophization

Catastrophization involves the belief that the situation is worse than it is in objective reality. For example, the constant fear that you will fail an exam or interview, no matter how you perform.

 

This can start a cycle of worrying about failing at school or finding a job, which usually leads to catastrophic thoughts about what this means for the trajectory of your life. Thinking like this makes you worry unnecessarily and creates unrealistic and worst-case scenarios that you have no control over.

 

Overgeneralization

Overgeneralization occurs when you focus on one event from the past and form expectations for the future based on it. Instead of thinking about how possible outcomes might change, one may assume that previous outcomes will never or always occur.

 

Overgeneralizing from one event from the past can cause you to overthink and worry about things that may not happen in the future. This type of thinking limits your ability to imagine positive or even alternative futures, keeping you stuck in a cycle of negativity.

 

All or nothing thinking

All-or-nothing thinking involves perceiving a situation as black or white, positive or negative. Instead of analyzing a situation or scenario based on objective truths, you can analyze the situation as a failure or a success. With this approach, your feelings about a situation are placed at the extreme ends of a spectrum, assigning “good” or “bad” qualities to facts.

 

9 ways to help you get rid of excessive thoughtfulness

Rumination, a characteristic of overthinking, is associated with stress, anxiety, and negative emotions. Many people overthink without understanding why they ruminate or obsess over problems.

 

It is important to remember that learning from a bad decision or failure is better than overthinking and being afraid to make decisions.

 

If you overthink or tend to overthink, there are several ways and strategies you can use to manage your way of thinking:

 

Challenge your thoughts

It is important to remind yourself that your thoughts are not always realistic, accurate or truthful and therefore are subject to change. Understanding how to positively reframe your thoughts can help reduce the likelihood of overthinking.

 

If you feel like you're overthinking, challenge your thoughts and ask yourself how realistic they are by evaluating your thoughts and considering alternative scenarios. Although reframing your thoughts may be difficult at first, learning to recognize the usefulness of your thoughts can help replace and reduce negative thoughts.

 

Although your thoughts and perceptions of the world are shaped by several factors, including your beliefs, values, culture, and experiences, thinking from a different perspective can also keep you from overthinking.

 

Distract yourself

Instead of sitting and endlessly thinking about the problem, it is better to stay in the present moment and focus your energy on something less harmful. Distraction is a way to direct your energy away from negativity.

 

Switching your attention to positive and pleasant things allows you to distract yourself from negative thoughts and focus on finding the best solution to the task at hand.

 

Healthy distractions include meditation, walking, reading, volunteering, or new hobbies. All of these examples can also help reduce your stress levels. Incorporating these activities into your daily routine to distract yourself from chronic brooding can help reduce your anxiety levels and make you less likely to overthink.

 

Finding distractions and starting something new is difficult when you are overwhelmed with thoughts; setting aside small blocks of time, about 20-30 minutes, can help you explore these distractions or find new ones.

 

Help through therapy

If rumination causes strong feelings, interferes with everyday life, and you cannot get rid of them, seek help from a specialist. Overthinking can be a symptom of mental disorders such as depression or anxiety, which can also increase the likelihood of developing other mental disorders in the future.

 

Therefore, a mental health professional can help you understand your emotions and thoughts, distinguish productive from unproductive thoughts, and teach you coping skills. They may suggest or recommend coping strategies that work for you, such as mindfulness or exercise.

 

It's better to talk to a professional about your persistent worries than to keep them to yourself. If you feel ready, see a mental health professional who specializes in an evidence-based practice such as cognitive behavioral therapy, or find a professional who has experience helping people who are anxious or have similar mental health symptoms to you.

 

For example, a clinical psychologist can teach you positive reframing, which can help you become more aware of your mental health habits, acknowledge your negative emotions and thoughts, and appreciate other ways of thinking about situations.

 

Meditation and Mindfulness

Meditation and mindfulness help regulate emotions, improve concentration, memory, and reduce stress. Mindfulness training is a meditative technique that involves focusing your attention on a daily routine task, such as doing laundry or washing the dishes, to block out negative and intrusive thoughts in your head.

 

The purpose of meditation is not to clear your mind, but to redirect your attention and thoughts to something else when you are thinking too much. Research shows that ten minutes of meditation daily can reduce anxiety and stress. Thinking and meditation promote overall psychological well-being.

  

Improving interpersonal skills

Research shows that interpersonal skills have a significant impact on thinking habits, particularly overthinking, and working on these skills can help eliminate overthinking. Ways to improve interpersonal skills include practicing self-control, building self-confidence, and increasing self-awareness.

 

Learning interpersonal skills can be very helpful in helping you stop overthinking and develop a healthier way of thinking. Developing effective communication and relationship-building skills allows us to interact more meaningfully and authentically with others.

 

By practicing active listening, empathy, and assertiveness, we create opportunities for open dialogue and gain valuable perspectives beyond our minds. Interacting with others helps overcome the tendency to overthink by offering different perspectives and perspectives.

 

Developing interpersonal skills can help create a supportive social network that provides a sense of belonging and reduces feelings of isolation. Engaging in healthy relationships and connections promotes positive self-esteem, increases self-confidence, and reduces anxiety, which is a critical factor in combating overthinking.

 

Ultimately, by honing our interpersonal skills, we increase our ability to navigate social environments, express ourselves effectively, and gain a broader perspective, allowing us to break free from overthinking and achieve a more balanced and fulfilling mental state.

 

Live in the moment

People with overthinking often focus on the past, spending energy on "what ifs" and "shoulds." Both situations are immutable and useless. Letting go of the past means not allowing your mistakes to control and influence future decisions.

 

You can't let bad actions control your emotions. It's important to anchor yourself in the present moment, and several ways to do this are by engaging in activities that bring you joy, such as going outside, disconnecting from excessive technology use, eating your favorite food, or connecting with friends and loved ones.

 

Practice self-compassion and self-acceptance

Self-compassion plays an important role in combating overthinking and promoting a healthier mindset. When we practice self-compassion, we show kindness, understanding, and acceptance of ourselves, especially in moments of doubt or negative thoughts. By being compassionate to ourselves, we create a supportive internal environment that counters the harsh self-criticism often associated with overthinking.

 

It is useless to dwell on past mistakes or negative events in our lives, since they are completely independent of us. Try spending more time on compassion and self-acceptance by treating yourself with kindness, love and forgiveness.

 

Calming and calming the body's internal system allows you to solve problems in situations with a clearer mind. Think about what you value about yourself, create a strong support system of family and friends who will support and love you, forgive yourself for past mistakes and focus on the future.

 

Self-compassion allows us to acknowledge and appreciate our problems without judgment, promoting self-esteem and resilience. It encourages us to accept our shortcomings and mistakes as part of the human experience, reducing the tendency to ruminate on negative thoughts. Through self-compassion, we cultivate a softer, more caring inner voice that promotes self-care and positive thinking.

 

By treating ourselves with the same compassion and understanding we would to a loved one, we create a foundation for self-acceptance and emotional well-being, which ultimately allows us to combat overthinking and form a healthier relationship with our thoughts and emotions.

 

Face your fears

Although not everything is under your control, understanding this and learning to come to terms with your fears and negative thoughts can improve your mental state. Look for small opportunities to confront situations and things that you often worry about, and shift your thoughts to something that you can take positive action against.

 

It's important to take a step back, deal with problems one at a time, and tell yourself to stop thinking about things that are not under your control.

 

Write in a journal

Writing in a journal to track your mood, anxiety, and negative thoughts about a situation allows you to immediately draw strength and emotion from them and put your feelings into words. Write down what you are grateful for, celebrate your achievements and successes, pouring out your worries and stress onto paper so that they do not live inside you.

 

Writing down your thoughts in a journal can help you feel in control of your thoughts and emotions, gain perspective and clarity, relieve stress, and encourage a positive attitude towards yourself. Journaling can also help you track recurring triggers that can lead to overthinking.

 

Conclusion

Overthinking and negative thinking can detrimentally impact our well-being, hindering a fulfilling life. Combatting this involves recognizing the harm, employing practical strategies, and cultivating a positive mindset through mindfulness, cognitive reframing, and self-compassion. While overcoming overthinking is gradual and requires patience, self-help techniques and professional support are available.

 

By embracing self-reflection, seeking assistance when necessary, and fostering a growth mindset, we can reclaim control over our thoughts, leading to a more balanced and joyful existence. Let's embark on this journey to mental freedom, harnessing the power of positive thinking to enhance our overall well-being.