How to Stop Overthinking
I have ruminated about the past, and worried about the future for as long as I can remember. Now, I can say without a shadow of a doubt, that overthinking can feel so debilitating and frustrating. I used to feel paralyzed by my thoughts and fears. I felt as if no amount of tossing and turning would ease my mind and struggles. That is the issue with overthinking. It is impairing.
But what counts as overthinking? In a nutshell, overthinking is when you think about something for too long. It can involve worrying about the past or the future and can be triggered when we are stressed or must make an important decision. It is also a by-product of underlying metal health issues like anxiety or depression.
There are many people that must deal with the consequences that come with overthinking. There are many people out there that must endure all this alone. They feel as if there is no way out, but there is.
You see, overthinking is sustained by our thought patterns, and although it is not easy to break the patterns, we have grown accustomed to, it is possible to break them.
Therefore, I have put together some techniques to add to your toolbox to help tackle this problem.
The first way to solve a problem, is by identifying it. The two most common thought patterns that fall under the category of overthinking are ruminating and incessant worrying. Ruminating can involve thinking about the past. It can be one thought or multiple linked thoughts that are replayed constantly in our heads. Incessant worrying on the other hand involves may involve worrying about the future and is due to a person’s limiting beliefs.
As stated above, identifying these negative thought patterns will allow you to find a solution tailored to your needs.
Secondly, attempt to change the narrative. The stories we tell ourselves about who we are, what we do, and why we do things affect the way we feel about ourselves. It may seem obvious, but our thought heavily impacts our emotions and mood. Telling yourself things like "I have always been an overthinker" or that " there is no solution to the problem" will only worsen your situation as it indicates that there is no way out. This in turn, makes it harder to find a solution for this problem and tackle or limiting beliefs. Being an over thinker is not impossible to change. It is not something you were born with and does not have to comprise your identity. The limiting beliefs you have regarding overthinking can cause you to feel as if your emotions are controlling you when, you are in control of your emotions. Taking that power back is an effective way to begin deconstructing this problem.
Thirdly, it helps to let go of the past and look at the bigger picture. I understand that when we are stressed and must decide, life can feel so small. We can feel as if nothing is in our control. Looking at the bigger picture and asking yourself is this will matter in five or ten years is a big help. Chances are, you will respond to that question by saying no. If it will not matter in five or ten years, there is no need to overthink about the matter too much. Furthermore, letting go of the past is also important to avoid rumination. Ruminating about the past will not change what happened, so there is no point in worrying about it. I always tell myself this to help myself feel better. One technique worth trying is to write down all your worries on a piece of paper and then revisiting the list when you feel less stressed. This will help because you are able to look at your worries objectively and decide if they are worth worrying about.
The fourth method involves setting a time aside for worrying. This has proved to be a helpful technique for me. Every time I am overthinking, I set aside a convenient time to worry about my issues. I often given myself thirty minutes to do this. If I start worrying during the day, I tell myself that there is no need to worry about them in the moment, as I will revisit the thoughts at my 'appointment.' What I find is that when I sit down to worry about my problems, I cannot remember half the things I was worried about during the day. This in turn indicates how 'important' they were.
Moreover, try and start your day off right. Often, when we neglect our daily chores or tasks because of worrying, we become more stressed, and the cycle worsens. Ensuring that you make your bed in the morning and eat your food regularly can remove the extra burden off our minds and may even help you think clearly throughout the day. Starting your day off right means different things to many people. For me, I like to make my bed, complete my chores and do some physical activity to help me feel that my life is somewhat put together and that I have my affairs in order.
Finally, to avoid overthinking try and stay present in the moment. There I no point in worrying about your next ten steps, or even the next 100 steps. Focus only what you will do next. This helps in staying present and avoiding ruminating in the past or worrying about the future.
Overthinking is an issue that many people deal with. It can feel burdensome and impossible to tackle but that is not the case. All these techniques take practice but implementing them slowly will help you improve in the long run and allow you to deal with your worries in a healthy fashion. If mental health issues are the reason you overthink, it is beneficial to get professional help.
