Photo by Jeremy Perkins on Unsplash
“You are so overthinking this!”
“I believe you’re thinking about it too much.”
If I had a dime for every time someone said this to me, I would be a very wealthy overthinker. I will preface this by saying that I love to take small or simple questions and dive deep into them, having out more and more conversations and getting opinions from others. But, thinking deeply and overthinking are not the same thing.
Following a long train of thought or mentally plummeting deep into the nuances of an argument or question takes a lot of brainpower. But overthinking usually involves a more intrusive and seemingly uncontrollable excess in rumination.
This cognitive brainstorm also involves an unhealthy and tiresome overinvolvement in the thoughts of the moment. Overthinking often prevents people from taking action, compelling them to hyper focus on their own thoughts and become anxious about their inability to control or understand them.
Overthinking is a coping strategy many of us fall into. Rather than take a risk or make a decision, it feels much safer and more comfortable to think through as many possible scenarios as we can. But this method of coping with feelings of fear, stress and anxiety can weather our brain capacity over time, negatively impact our sleep, and prevent us from thriving. Over time, we can become more disconnected from our genuine instincts and ability to show ourselves grace by learning from our mistakes.
What is Overthinking and How Does It Impact Our Mental Health?
Overthinking is often a paradox of a coping mechanism. People who overthink often usually convince themselves that these excessive predictions, ruminations, and mental replays of past events are beneficial. They think it will help them mitigate future harm and prepare themselves for the worst. However, this isn’t necessarily the case. Overthinking can sometimes cause the exact feelings and anxieties that they are trying to rid themselves out of.
Overthinking differs from problem-solving or strategic thinking in that it doesn’t provide the same positive benefits or decision-making energy. Decision fatigue and analysis paralysis are common issues for overthinkers—trapping us in the circular paths of our imagination and self-judgment. Problem-solving or strategic thinking usually ends in a confidence to move forward with the decision at hand. Overthinking usually brings more confusion and reluctance to take action.
Everyone overthinks from time to time. It’s an easy go-to for addressing fear of the future and anxiety. But chronic overthinking has been shown to bring negative effects to both our mental and physical well-being—negatively impacting our sleep, creativity, and cognitive energy.
Ways to Combat Overthinking
If you want to combat overthinking try these tips:
- Ground yourself in your present environment. Get out of your head and feel into your body for the moment.
- Notice when you’re overthinking and remember that it’s not actually helping you.
- Meditation or disengagement from judging our own thoughts. Imagine flipping a switch to observation mode where you notice your thoughts but don’t address them. Simply watch them pass through your mind.
- Schedule or journal your worries; specify the time in your day dedicated to honoring your anxieties but maintaining boundaries and limiting their intrusiveness.
Getting feeling back into your body and pulling yourself into the present can be ways of relaxing your brain and putting space between you and your intrusive thoughts. Telehealth and mental health hotlines are also fantastic resources to take advantage of. Overthinking comes and goes in waves but it can create a painful feedback loop between your thoughts and physical manifestations of anxiety. Professional mental health practitioners can be great resources to intercept this loop.
Protect Your Mental Energy
Our mental energy is valuable, but overthinking can be a huge drain. A large part of combatting overthinking is learning to slow down and be more present. Anyone who suffers from overthinking knows how trapped they can feel in their own thoughts. The more we can combat overthinking, the more energy we can free up to direct toward the creative, strategic and productive aspects of our lives.
