Some people overthink, and they can't control how their thoughts run. If you are among those who have trouble having a hold of their thoughts running on a look in their heads, continue reading.
Why Do People Overthink?
Overthinking can be linked to anxiety and tension. In addition to these main reasons, low self-worth and insecurity are frequent causes of overthinking.
The epidemic and all of the uncertainties it brings, including the prospect of illness, death, and financial instability, leave many fearful of their future. It is only average for our imaginations to begin racing under these circumstances.
Another factor that leads to overthinking is traumatic events. Excessive cognitive processes are more common in those who have suffered trauma.
Individuals who have faced difficulties in the past or gone through trauma might have learned to anticipate hazards and search for them more than those who have not.
Overthinking and ruminating are also more common in deep thinkers, anxious or depressed persons, sensitive people, and people who experience strong emotions.
How to Stop Overthinking?
Kirsty Ross, Associate Professor and Senior Clinical Psychologist at Massey University, shared some tips on managing overthinking. Here are some tips from her.
Acknowledge your emotions
It helps to apply emotion-focused and problem-focused tactics when thoughts return to you.
To be emotion-focused entails assessing our emotions and taking appropriate action. For instance, we could worry about something that might happen or feel regret, rage, or sadness about something already happening.
Acknowledging your emotions, practicing self-care, and reaching out to social support will make talking about and managing your feelings easier.
The second component is focusing on problems. If your thoughts are about something from the past, consider what you would have done differently and create a plan for handling any possibilities your thoughts may bring up.
Understand why those thoughts are showing up
Our experiences and feelings are information, so it's critical to consider what they might be trying to teach you and whether these ideas are coming to mind at this particular moment.
For instance, classes at the university have recently resumed. Parents of high school dropouts may be anxious about their children as they lie awake at night when rumination and overanalyzing are prevalent.
It could be useful to know how you would react to some of the more common scenarios (e.g., they might need money, be lonely, or be homesick).
But while you want the best for your children, overanalyzing might also indicate that you are entering a new phase of your life and that you need to relinquish some control over their decisions and lives. Acknowledging this implies that you can also discuss those emotions with other people.
Let go of those thoughts
The mantra "Change, accept, and let go" is a helpful strategy for controlling overthinking and rumination. You need to challenge and change your line of thought where you can.
For instance, it is unlikely that your young person will run out of money, go without food, and starve. Overthinking sometimes causes the brain to imagine the worst.
Your ideas are merely thoughts. Though they may not always be factual or real, they might begin to feel true because they become ingrained when we overthink and repeat things. Developing a more practical idea can assist in breaking the cycle of the harmful mindset.
It will also help to accept your feelings and figure out how to deal with them through social support, appropriate self-care, and contact with loved ones. Realizing that we never have total control over the opportunities and results life presents will also help. We are in charge of our responses and behaviors, though.
Recall that, up until now, you have overcome obstacles with a 100% success rate. Even if you had other ideas and could have planned to act on them, you managed to get by and endured.
The final step is to let go of your need to know exactly how things will work out and to have faith in your capacity for coping.
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