GETTING TO THE ROOTS OF OVERTHINKING CAUSES, SYMPTOMS, PREVENTION
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August 17, 2022
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Which car model should I buy? Which university should I go to for medical school? How many bedrooms should our new apartment have? Should I get married now or a year later? We think long and hard about everything significant in life. It is also justified. You must think wisely and take your time before making a major decision, especially if that choice has the potential to change your life.
However, you may discover that you are replaying nearly every notion in your head. Regardless of how tiny it is. Whether it's a two-mark question on the exam that you missed or a wasted opportunity to work on that minor project at the workplace. Overthinking occurs when you dwell on the same topic repeatedly, whether for a few days, a few weeks, or even a few months. It's a pattern in which your anxieties and thoughts cycle in an infinite loop. There is a modern phrase for it - '2 a.m. thoughts.' Because it is when one thinks of all the bad and good events he or she is now going through in life - time and again. What if that person decides to leave? What if I don't finish my syllabus before Wednesday? What if my conference presentation fails to go well? Forethought and analysis can enhance certain decisions, but brooding over every possible consequence can lead to undue concern and decision stagnation. Overthinking is a harmful emotion. If one fails to manage it on time, it can turn into anxiety and depression.
The signs and symptoms of overthinking include:
- Reminiscing about former events or situations
- Second-guessing your judgments
- Rewinding the errors in your head
- Revisiting difficult or painful interactions/encounters
- focusing on things you don't have control over
- Contemplating the worst-case circumstance and its consequence
- Pondering yet never making a choice or acting on certain things
- Inability to put a worry aside or release it
- Incapability to relax, restlessness
- Concentration problems
Overthinking can manifest physically as:
Exhaustion
Sleeping issues
Muscle tenseness or aches
Trembling and twitching
Nervousness and sweating
Nausea and diarrhea
Overthinkers frequently believe that their overanalyzing prevent negative events from occurring. And they believe that if they don't worry about the past or future sufficiently, they will experience new issues. But the science is clear: overthinking is unhealthy and does nothing to minimize or solve any past or future events.
Overthinking can be classified into three types:
- Rumination
A rumination is a form of cyclical thinking in which we constantly repeat a memory from the past or worry about something that has to be done in the future. Rumination is widespread in persons who have severe conditions or sickness, and it takes the shape of negative thoughts about the discomfort and how to recover from it.
- Mind-reading
When you presume what someone else is thinking, you might begin to take everything personally - a look, a grin, or a whispered word to their buddy can all appear to be an assault on you since you're reading into every detail.
- Overestimation
"Making a mountain out of a molehill" is a phrase that everyone knows and uses when others make a big deal out of a minor incident. For example, I made a blunder in my last presentation - what if my boss refuses my promotion next month? What if I have to leave my job? What if I don't get a new opportunity? How will I manage the fees for my kid's school and home rent? And the cycle goes on.
Is overthinking a mental illness?
Overthinking is not considered a mental disease in and of itself. However, studies have found that it is frequently related to other mental health disorders, such as:
- Depression
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Anxiety problems
- Obsessive-compulsive syndrome (OCD)
How can you get yourself to stop overthinking?
Altering your damaging thinking patterns, like changing any habit, can be difficult. You can, however, educate your brain to think differently with persistent practice.
(I) Maintain a record of your triggers:
First and foremost, begin paying attention to how you think to become conscious of the issue. Do not dismiss it. Recognize that revisiting events in your head or fretting about things over which you have no authority is not useful. This will assist you in developing a coping plan for circumstances when you know you are overthinking.
(II) Challenge your assumptions:
You are not obliged to trust whatever your mind tells you. 97% of the things we worry about, don't actually exist. Overthinking can be effectively suppressed by challenging fears and ruminations.
(III) Maintain Your Concentration on Problem Solving:
Dwelling on your issues is counterproductive, but seeking solutions is important. Consider how you can avert the problem or push yourself to discover viable remedies if you have some influence over it.
(IV) Make a schedule for productive thinking:
Include 10-15 minutes of "thinking time" in your daily plan. Allow yourself to worry, ruminate, or linger about whatever you like during that time. Do not linger on that same thing after that. End it right there.
(V) Seek expert assistance:
If overthinking is taking control of your daily life, you should consult a mental health specialist or talk to your primary care physician about it.
A psychotherapist or counsellor can help you discover coping methods to manage brooding if you're battling overthinking problems. They can also aid in the identification and treatment of any underlying reasons for overthinking, such as stress, anxiety, or depression. So, the next time you are worried about your examination scores or a workplace presentation, you can immediately discover the answer rather than fretting about the outcome, which can enable you to live more peacefully, joyfully, and healthily.