Overthinking……

Oops!! racing thoughts keep me awake…. I dwell upon an issue that may be trivial for others… My mind is pre-occupied most of the time … I constantly ponder about my health, family, finances and my future. I feel drained out…. Is this You? Then, you may be over thinking. Yes, rightly read! In simple terms, over thinkers are ones who think too much about something or anything!

Let’s say, you had an argument with your bestie. Later,in the day, you may think about it and thoughts start floating; what opinion would she have about you? …. was she really, right? Your mind goes from one dreaded possibility to another. Now, this kind of thinking actually just adds to anxiety, and your level of thinking scales up.

Studies reveal that overthinking elevates the stress levels, reduces creativity, clouds the judgment and strips you of your power to make decisions. So overthinking is actually, Energy- Draining!

Have you ever thought why does one overthink?  Often overthinking is the by-product of stress and anxiety.  Apart from this, one’s self-esteem, self-doubt are other common causes as well.

So, the magic mantra is: “The less you overthink about something, the happier and lively you will be in life.”

But obvious, let’s go ahead to find ways to overcome overthinking. Let’s try connecting with the below mentioned tips:

·  Be self-aware. Understand your emotions. Notice the triggers and work accordingly. It is challenging but getting to know and channelizing it can help defeating overthinking.

· Learn the art of expressing at the right moment. Stocking up and not allowing it to pour out at the right time is the worst enemy of overthinking.

· You are on the path of overthinking? Stop there!! Distract your mind to some activity that you enjoy. You would feel better.

· What makes you overthink? For instance, is something worrying you?Find the cause, then,dig into the possible solutions about overcoming it.

·  Reflect on the positive outcome. “Instead of “I’m stuck in my job,” tell yourself or better still write, “As of now, I would work on traits so that I feel good at my present job, and later even look for an opportunity where I feel more engaged.”Then gradually expand your network, and look for new openings. 

· Write your thoughts down in a journal every night before bed. However, they don’t have to be in any order. Just do a ‘brain dump’ of your thoughts on a paper! Sometimes that can give a great sense of relief.  It acts as a constructive way of processing any worries or negative thoughts.

· Believe in Meditating! Just simply find few seconds to focus on your breathing, often before sleep or could be early morning too! Also, meditation can be helpful if you ask yourself set of questions like “What can I do to change?”, “What am I trying to achieve?”, or “How am I going to cope with my fears?”

· Have a reality check. No one can predict the future. All you have is be here and now! So, spending time thinking about the future is simply not worth a call. Spend time on things that you feel good and you enjoy.

· Avoid making something unimportant seem extremely important. So, next time you catch yourself with this, ask yourself how much it would matter in coming days or months. Just this simple question, can help shut down overthinking.

Overthinking is something that can happen to anyone. But all you need to do is build up a great system to deal with it. That way, you will surely be able to cut off some of the negative, anxious, stressful thinking and turn it into something productive and effective!

Arti Desai (Counseling Psychologist)

1^st September 2021