“Do I always have thoughts running in my mind? Do I often get triggered by small things? Do I always keep worrying about things, real or imaginary, small or big?” You are probably currently overthinking these questions too, right? Overthinking, in casual terms, is referred to as an art, wherein people create problems that were not even there. So what is overthinking? And why is it becoming a prime issue in the millennials? You may have probably heard people giving you advice like: “It’s all in your head” or “Stop thinking, everything will be alright!”
Overthinking
Overthinking has become a problem of the 21st century. In simple terms, Overthinking means thinking too much. It is a psychological phenomenon that is defined as ‘an excessive tendency to engage in monitoring, evaluating, and attempting to control thoughts’. It involves imposing oneself into a mental interrogation resulting in anguish, frustration which eventually leads to feelings of depression, anxiety, guilt, etc. There is a difference between reflecting on thoughts and overthinking that thought before making a decision. Reflection on a thought helps us make calculative decisions that prove beneficial, and ignoring them would result in a disastrous effect.
However, overthinking a thought puts you in a self-defeating mental trap, which is a result of relentless thoughts wherein you feel so overwhelmed to the point of throwing up. It makes you highly anxious which results in being stuck in indecision. This results in procrastinating a decision to be made or completely avoiding it. These thoughts are usually unwanted, spontaneous thoughts that are analysed and overanalyzed by a person to a point that it starts triggering them, turning into an agonising process. Overthinking, therefore, is a harmful process wherein you analyse thoughts, big or small, all the time, and this becomes a vicious cycle. It has an impact on your feelings, emotions, and behaviour.
There is a thin line between reflecting on your thoughts and overanalyzing them or overthinking.
Signs
Some of the signs that you could be indulging in overthinking are:
Constant Worrying
If you are constantly worrying about a thing or other, even if it is a minor problem of your day, this could be a sign that you are analysing the meaning of all the happenings, and you cannot stop worrying. You are often worried about things you have no control over, like for example, an accident or the death of your loved one. You cannot stop overanalyzing and indulging in ‘what if…’ questions. Dwelling over probable possibilities and pitfalls, that may not even be in line with reality, are all signs that you are overthinking.
Difficulty focusing
Constantly overthinking might wear you off. Due to the overwhelming thoughts that go on in your mind, you have difficulty sleeping, which in the end has an impact on concentrating and attending to things. This is yet another important sign as not being able to sleep stems from the constant working of your brain
Recalling the past and ruminating
As much as people think about their future, overthinking can also result from the past and feelings of regret. If you are recalling the conversation that made you feel embarrassed and you cannot stop thinking about it, you are probably overthinking it! Finding it difficult to let go of the old things, memories is a probable sign that you are pushing yourself towards overthinking it.
If you relate to the above symptoms, do not worry, you are not alone! In this fast pacing world, it is common to analyse things and to get caught up in overthinking them. However, there is help available, and with the right amount of effort, you will be able to get a hold of your thoughts.
Reduce overthinking
Leap into a healthy mindset by engaging in the below-listed exercises:
Self-awareness
Be aware of what triggers you. Knowing your triggers will help you identify what leads you to overthink. This may further help you to keep a distance from those things and help. Realise what it is. Being aware of reality and distinguishing it from imagination may help you cope with intrusive thoughts. One technique that can help is to stop yourself right there and then and ask yourself if these are the kind and quality of thoughts you should be thinking over.
Learning from past
If you are an overthinker, you do it quite often or All the time. One way to calm your mind is to engage in past experiences. Ask yourself if all those ‘what ifs….’ that you have had in your head have turned into reality? If yes, what led up to it? If No, is it worth overanalyzing it this time? The answers to these questions will help imbibe a positive outlook towards the inconvenience.
Management of time
As theoretical as this may sound, managing your time to indulge in overthinking helps you contain the amount of overthinking. Studies have supported this and claimed that if you stipulate a timing in a day, say 15 minutes, you are less likely to overthink.
Journal your thoughts
Journaling is considered very influential in having a healthy mind. Penning down your thoughts will help you understand the quality of it when you read them again. Once you identify that what you think constantly has no great impact, it will help you take steps to avoid it.
Overthinking, therefore, is an invisible force. It guides you, your behaviour, and your actions. Remember that the intrusive thought that you create is a product of your mind and not reality. It is you, who has to stop yourself, from giving your mind the control to take charge. Engage in healthy ways of thinking. Let go off, things that you have no control over.
Remember, You can control the efforts, but not the outcome.
References
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