It is not uncommon for people to feel overwhelmed by their thoughts; it is in everyone’s experience. The repetitive debates of, “what if,” worries, or any past instances are so rooted within us that we fail to concentrate on what is happening around us at that moment. Understanding the causes behind it can help in finding ways to cope.
What Is Overthinking?
Overthinking is when someone gets bogged down by a particular thought—be it about something that happened in the past, a decision, or an anticipated scenario. For instance, do you ever spend your nights replaying conversations or thinking about what might happen the next day? Almost everyone will be able to relate.
Why Does People Tend To Overthink?
In most cases, it initiates with a level of excessive strain or pressure from major decisions that happen to come along with some difficult circumstance. The mind begins to elaborate on everything but ends up increasing stress levels while also putting your thoughts into some predicaments.
A Real-Life Example
Like that of my friend Mark, he just couldn’t decide whether to move to a new town for the post or not. Rather than analyzing it calmly, he kept asking himself, “What if I don’t like the new city? What if I fail?” It was just this super-inflated thinking that rendered him stuck for weeks without having made the decision.
Others Common Causes on Overthinking
Perfectionism: Trying to get everything just right means you analyze small things to death.
Fear of the Unknown: Uncertainty over what will happen can lead someone to overthink every possible outcome.
Negative Thinking: Expecting the worst makes the simplest decisions seem more challenging than they are Overthinking Management.
Here are some tips to help:
Set Limits: Decide on the time each year to think about something, then get on.
Ground Yourself: Try breathing exercises or activities that allow you to focus on the present moment
Test those thoughts: Ask yourself if the thoughts that are swirling in your mind come mainly from established facts or are just mere assumptions.
Talk it Out: Expressing your worries to someone else can help clear them from your mind.
Solutions Focused: Change your thinking to work on practical solutions, rather than dwelling on problems.
Conclusion
One of the most common struggles people have, besides their sad sometimes, is overthinking. Sometimes, just by finding their roots and innovating easy practical strategies, one can learn to manage their thoughts effectively. Sometimes, it is good to think something over but at others, it becomes too much. Take a reality check on what is truly important in your life.
