Do you also lie awake at night thinking or probably overthinking whatever happened all day, repeating in your mind all your social interactions or probably some embarrassing moments in the past that bubbled up in memory and cringes you up?
Are you sick of constantly frying your neurons over things or situations that are not in fact that harmful? Overthinking refers to the perpetual habit of over analysing, judging, or worrying about something which can leave you stressed and anxious.
It is the state of obsessing over something even if it is trivial and does not need to be considered. There are many moments in life where decision-making can be pretty challenging, like choosing the right partner for yourself, choosing which university to go to, and what passion to follow and definitely requires long hours of thought process.
But worrying about everyday things, repeating it in your head over and over again and adding too many unnecessary assumptions can be pretty harmful to your daily life.
What causes overthinking?
1. Overthinking is not a chronic illness, but you may experience it when you are stressed or have anxiety problems.
2. Whenever you feel compelled to have everything figured out in life. An obsession with controlling your environment and wanting everything all sorted out in life.
3. Those who are afraid of the unknown may overthink things in order to understand a situation better or to be prepared for every outcome.
4. Other reasons include trauma from the past, low self-esteem, and negative thinking patterns.
Downsides of overthinking
1. It can make you stressed out and mentally exhausted.
2. It stops you from making any real progress because you are engrossed with ‘’what if’s’’.
3. It can contribute to insomnia, distraction, and even break your confidence.
4. Not being able to focus due to distracting and destructive thoughts can lead to unproductivity.
5. You may become fearful and unable to make good judgments as a result.
How to stop overthinking?
1.Affirmations
As the past has passed and cannot be changed, the future is unpredictable again, which you cannot possibly change with your thoughts, so the real moment is here and now. and will overcome them.
Overthinking about overthinking can be prevented by redirecting your thoughts. If you recall embarrassing moments in the past, remember how you could just laugh with others, make memories, and move on rather than dwell on them.
2. Be productive
An old saying goes ‘’ an idle mind is the Devil’s workshop’’ Let's say that overstretching certain thoughts that might cripple your mental health is the devil here, which can be overpowered by engaging yourself or your mind in some sort of activity. Reading, writing, gardening, playing, or exercising can take your mind off of things.
3. Focus on the present
As the past has passed and cannot be changed, the future is unpredictable again, which you cannot possibly change with your thoughts, so the real moment is here and now.
4. Don’t spend time thinking about things that are much outside your control.
Changing people’s perceptions of you is outside your control; therefore, you should not wear yourself down by thinking about it.
In the same way, you should stop overthinking about many other things you cannot control, such as other people's behavior, their actions, and their thoughts.
You can, however, control your actions, words, thoughts, and ideas.
5. Seek help from a therapist
If your behavior pattern doesn’t change, it is better advised to see a therapist who can help you understand what makes it hard to overcome negative emotions.
6. Follow a sleep schedule
Mostly, overthinking comes at night and you keep engaging in it, which only messes up your sleep schedule and causes insomnia. So sleep early and wake up early to meditate and exercise.
7. Meditation
It can help you to relieve stress and practice mindfulness. Start with 2 minutes of meditating and feel how it makes you feel relaxed and clears your mind. It helps you to come to terms with your emotions and makes you realize the emotions running through your mind.
In conclusion
If you are an over-thinker you would have a difficult time feeling relaxed and always feel on edge so in order to live life fully tone down your worries and focus on what really matters in life.
Don’t deliberately conjure thoughts that can affect your mental health as well as physical health. Stress due to overthinking can lead to bloating, acne, a weak immune system etc., the more you will think, the more you are prone to make mistakes because of the nervous energy surrounding you, because you are caught in the cycle of overthinking.
About the author
Priti Kumari Rajak is a new content writer with an English major. She was born on May 26, 2003, in Kharagpur, West Bengal, and is currently in Bhubaneswar for her graduation. She reads a lot and could probably talk about books all day. She is always eager to learn new skills and never cowers away from hard work. She is a dedicated and orderly individual who has a passion for writing.
Reach her at
Email- priti.kr.rajak098@gmail.com
LinkedIn profile- www.linkedin.com/in/priti-kumari-rajak098
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