Overthinking- How to avoid it?

Overthinking: the art of creating new problems out of the ones that never existed in the first place…

Thoughts are powerful. Your thoughts become your reality. Whatever you hold in your mind on a consistent basis is exactly what you will experience in your life. Overthinking is a negative habit that has the potential to cause extreme problems. Thinking overly about anything be it situations, opinions or people’s actions can cloud our judgments and prevent us from taking corrective actions. 

What is Overthinking?

Overthinking is the habit of thinking too much and/or too long about something. There are two types of overthinking - either we dwell in the past or worry too much about the future. We all know worrying is like a rocking chair, though it keeps us occupied it won’t get us anywhere. Yet overthinking happens all around. It's human nature to think things through when making a decision or evaluating a situation, however it becomes overthinking when we can’t get out of our own head. Rather than thinking too much unnecessarily and getting paralyzed in our thoughts and actions why don’t we get into the habit of healthy thinking that helps us in making choices which are beneficial to our lives and in turn celebrates growth and empowerment?

Why do we Overthink?

Due to the pandemic of late, all of us are overthinking about one or the other aspects of life. Some questions like - What if we get affected? Will I be able to survive? What if I lose my job? What if I ran out of my savings? All these “what if” questions lead to stress and anxiety which acts as the primary source for overthinking. Higher than normal levels of stress and anxiety are not an appropriate response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Trauma is another potential cause of overthinking. In this case, those who have experienced trauma because of childhood abuse or neglect can be especially vulnerable. Our flight-fight-or-freeze response stays on high alert, scanning for any possible danger whether real or perceived. In this state, we may experience obsessive or intrusive thoughts. People who tend to be overly organized, perfectionists, or those who struggle to gain control even in the midst of chaos overthink. 

10 Signs that you are Overthinking…

1.        You can’t stop worrying. There is a running commentary in your head.
2.        You often worry about things you have no control over.
3.        You constantly remind yourself of mistakes.
4.        You relive embarrassing moments in your mind over and over.
5.        You often ask yourself "what if..." questions.
6.        You have difficulty sleeping because it feels like your brain won't shut off.
7.        When you recall conversations with people, you can’t help but think about all the things you wish you had or hadn't said.
8.        You spend a lot of free time thinking about the hidden meaning behind things people say or events that occur.
9.        When someone says something or acts in a way you don't like, you dwell on it.
10.        You spend so much time either dwelling on past events or worrying about the future that you often miss what’s going on in the present.

Effects of Overthinking

Overthinking has a tendency to affect Physical, Mental and Emotional well being.

•        Analysis paralysis- Overthinking creates so many options, choices, and scenarios that you end up unable to make a decision.
•        Mental rut- it can cause you to get stuck and run out of ideas or new solutions.
•        Insomnia- your sleep takes a hit. Overanalysing can be arousing, especially when the thoughts are more anxious. This can pull you out of the soothing state your body needs to be in for sleep.
•        Drop in energy levels- It takes a lot of mental energy to overthink.
•        Worry eating- it might cause loss of appetite or increased appetite. We tend to binge eat and depend on more junk and unhealthy food habits to soothe ourselves. 

4 Effective ways you can avoid Overthinking 

·       Get out of your head – find a distraction and involve yourself in an activity you enjoy. For example - try to cook something new, taking up a new hobby, try working out, or anything different that helps. It can be over overwhelming in the beginning but practicing the pause helps.

·       Be mindful- focus on what is happening in the present and try to participate rather than projecting into the future. Being mindful helps you reframe your thoughts as just that: thoughts rather than facts. The “5-4-3-2-1” helps to bring your mind back to the present using the senses - sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste. The first step is to identify five things you can see. Next, find four things you can hear, three things you can feel, two things you can smell, and one you can taste.

·       Practise self-compassion and self-awareness- dwelling on past mistakes keeps you from letting go. Accept the way you are and move on.

·       Maintain a “thought jar”- where you can post your thoughts. That way, you won’t need to hold onto them. Instead of keeping your thoughts in your head, write them in a journal.

Pause your mind to pause the panic… 

Dr. Owen Fernandes, MBA

(Life Coach | Psychometric Analyst | Leadership Development)