2) WHY am I always overthinking everything?

3) What is Overthinking?

4) How do i stop overthinking?

5) How does counseling help to stop overthinking?

WHAT IS OVERTHINKING?

An endless loop of thoughts where a person can’t stop thinking. Psychologically, a person feels helpless and, rather than preparing for the next step of action, they become stuck in a negative loop of thoughts, which leads them to inaction. Additionally, past failures or traumas can create an auditory or visual thought pattern that is entirely negative. Overthinking is a state of confusion or helplessness where a person feels depressive, anxious and fearful.

UNDERSTANDING YOUR BRAIN

You need to understand overthinking first before taking action. Why do I overthink everything so much? What causes overthinking? The most important thing to realise is that our brain has two key parts, which are the prefrontal cortex and the Limbic System. Both are responsible for the overthinking. If you can understand how your brain functions, your cognition, and your thought patterns, it is easier to overcome Overthinking. But without understanding, you end up with nothing.

A) PREFRONTAL CORTEX

The prefrontal cortex, a key part of the brain, is responsible for analysing situations, decision-making, planning, and self-control. However, when this part of the brain is unable to reach a decision, it can lead to a loss of self-control, resulting in overthinking.

B) LIMBIC SYSTEM

The limbic system, which includes the amygdala, hippocampus, and hypothalamus, is responsible for managing fear and stress. When your mind is overthinking, the amygdala, a part of the limbic system, gives signals of fight or flight, triggering emotional responses.

Why does the HUMAN BRAIN think a LOT?

So, here I am dividing the causes of overthinking into four parts

Psychological Factors:

A. Anxiety and Fear:

People tend to worry excessively about the future and are overly attached to the outcomes, often overthinking a lot. People with a fearful nature tend to worry continuously and become anxious over minor changes, often overthinking excessively.

B. Past Trauma:

Trauma plays a significant role. Because the past haunts many people. As our brain operates on a survival mechanism, it tends to think a lot about the future. Also, as mentioned above, people with post-traumatic stress disorder think much about the future because they do not want to experience pain. Due to the stress of the Trauma, a person tends to overthink a lot.

C. Perfectionism:

Perfection has been highly appreciated for many years now. Many Motivational speakers used to emphasise perfectionism a lot, which became an obsession for many. Due to that, they become imposters and become overly attached to results. When one feels they are perfect in everything, they often do not want to act, as they believe it is never ideal for them. But it turns into overthinking.

D. Low Self-Esteem:

Low Self-Esteem is about trust in one’s skills and qualities. When a person has low self-esteem, they feel like they are not enough, not capable of doing things. Additionally, they tend to engage in self-negative thinking. Low self-esteem always turns into overthinking.

Physical Factors:

A. Brain Chemistry:

Neurotransmitters such as adrenaline, Cortisol, Dopamine, and Serotonin play a crucial role in the overthinking pattern. It is also responsible for the Thought pattern of a human being.

B. Evolutionary Perspective:

The evolutionary perspective is responsible for problem-solving and shaping thought patterns.

Environmental Factors:

A. Social Anxiety:

Acceptance of a human being as they are by society is a crucial aspect in achieving safety and well-being. Apart from basic needs, a relationship with other human beings and society is a must. However, when there is a lot of social uncertainty, overthinking becomes a common phenomenon. The social factor plays a significant role in overthinking because it increases uncertainty in the mind. Social anxiety doubles the trouble of a person.

B. Uncertainty:

Insecurity and uncertainty play a crucial role in the mind. Because when things continuously evolve, the negative aspects create lots of trouble. “What will be the next?” – thought creates more trouble in a person’s mind, as external factors are more volatile and unpredictable.

Cognitive Factors:

A. Negative Thought Pattern

When a person tends to view things negatively and observe all negative stuff first, they have a high tendency to overthink.

B. Difficulty in Problem Solving:

Problem-solving is a skill where a person looks for a solution rather than focusing on the problem. However, many human beings tend to view problems as victimisation. They often overthink, becoming victims and unable to solve the same problems, which perpetuates the cycle of overthinking because they predict the outcome and are unable to take action to resolve them.

C. Control External Factors:

Many humans tend to control external factors in their minds. They expect so much from the others and the outside world. They also want to prevent uncertainty and the unknown, driven by a fear of pain and suffering. And controlling unknown and external factors leads to a lot of overthinking.

HOW DO I STOP OVERTHINKING?

This negative loop of thoughts causes considerable trouble. Until one reaches a level of helplessness and hopelessness. As you have been through the above text, you can understand what overthinking is. In my practice, I have seen many cases where individuals know they overthink, but they are unable to overcome it. Because many feel it is reality, and while others want to control the external and uncertain outcome, they are not ready to accept the situation as it is. However, here are some important points I’d like to share with you to help you stop overthinking.

1) DON’T PROCRASTINATE

Procrastination is a way to prolong the current action mode to the future one. Even though you feel the outcome is not in your favour, act upon it rather than prolong it to the next level. Instead of spending too much time thinking, “What if?” Take action.

2) ASK YOURSELF OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS

What am I thinking is correct? Have you ever asked yourself this question? If not, try it. Because when you are asking wise questions yourself, you get the wise answers. Open-ended questions always help you to dig into your fears.

3) CHECK YOUR FACTS

Do you think that things are as bad as your brain portrays? Don’t forget that your brain works on a survival mechanism. Hence, you feel negative first. But when you can check facts and reality, your brain shuts down, and you can think of solutions.

4) DEEP BREATHING AND MEDITATION

Of course, practising mindfulness helps a lot. Being present plays the most important role. When you feel overthinking, you can breathe deeply. Take long and deep inhalations and exhalations to calm your agitated mind. Try to be present as much as you can. But that is only possible when you are in action and not attached to the outcome.

5) PRACTICE WRITING

We are currently embracing technology, so using pen and paper is now considered old-school. But while you overthink, you can write on a piece of paper. This gives you lots of mental clarity, and you can stick to reality rather than hypothetically think about unknown and uncertain things. If you practice the same daily, you may slowly get control of your mind. And it gives you more sources for solutions.

6) DON’T USE DISTRACTION

We all easily distract, especially when we are not feeling well emotionally. Distraction keeps your eye away from the core problem. When you use distraction, you cause more problems because you are not focused. It takes a little longer to come back to the attention state. Distraction never solves problems; rather, it aggravates them.

7) LIST OUT YOUR LIMITATIONS AND SKILLS

When you know your limitations and skills, you are more confident in your ability to deal with situations. For example, if you go to the Gym and try to lift heavy weights on the very first day, you may break your muscles. But as you practice slowly, you start lifting weights. When you acknowledge your limitations, you work on them and gradually make them your strengths, allowing you to stop overthinking.

8) STOP CONTROLLING EXTERNAL FACTORS

When you expect something from someone that is not in your control or try to change something uncertainly, it creates lots of trouble in your mind. You want to change your external factors, but are they really in your control? Again, asking wise and open-ended questions can get answers to many problems.

HOW DOES COUNSELING HELP TO STOP OVERTHINKING?

Counselling and therapies always prove best. Sometimes, you don’t get solutions to problems that are beyond your control. Therapies help you to understand it very clearly. Your cognition will improve, and your interpersonal skills will help you overcome issues related to overthinking. Various therapies, such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, can significantly help alleviate overthinking.

You look for solutions through self-help books, motivational training and seminars. You want to figure out your stress issue and anxiety issues without letting others know. And you afraid also how a psychologist can help through psychotherapies? So, let’s take a look first at Stress and Anxiety. You can always google it and get to know its meaning but let me help you to know more about these two major mental disorders.

How to Manage Stress and Anxiety

First of believe me you are not alone. You are not abnormal that you have some weird feelings. It is ok to feel like that. If you feel something unnatural and uneasy it is time to know more about yourself. So, let’s take a look.

What is stress? And which are the stressors?

Here, I want to draw attention to stress in the physical and mental realm. In the physical realm, we understand stress with heart disease. While with the mental realm, we understand stress primarily with PTSD. People who come across certain traumatic, uncontrolled and unpredictable situations feel stress immediately. The stress hormone cortisol is responsible for stress and an anxious state. People with their perspective see stress differently.

However, people who are depressed and come across negative life situations may feel distressed. They overgeneralize the situation. For example, a friend is cancelling a movie outing due to personal reasons. But the other person thinks that the person does not want to talk anymore and has cancelled the date. But the real reason is different. It all depends on a person how perceives the situation.

If you understand the characteristics of stressors then they are:

1. How severe is the stressor?
2. How chronic it is? or how long it lasts?
3. Its timings
4. How closely does it affect your life?
5. How do you expect the same?
6. How uncontrolled the situation?

If life stressors we consider as job loss, divorce or separation, rejection from a loved one or losing loved one or some financial losses. These are common but most traumatic situations. The coping system of a person can decide how a person feels stress. And how can he come out of the same?

There are some important Psychological tips which help you to overcome your trauma and stress when your life demands you to perform. People after some traumatic and stressful events become resilient. They become more flexible with life and learn to overcome stress by learning new coping mechanisms.

Make a list of Uncertain and unpredictable life Stressors:

Life is coming with its own challenges and problems. We never predict the future so clearly. But we all must be ready for uncertainty and unpredictable life stressors. Daily hassle with your life and your coping skills to deal with it is important to learn. Like daily you encounter tough clients or your demanding job or profession. Or your relationships are not working the way it should be.

Then you need to figure out and make a list of uncertainties you may face in future. We all can daydream good things but we never learn to visualise the obstacles and challenges of life. Here it is not the point to view your life with negative aspects. But with the optimistic and realistic points of view. After many books flooded in market and with the speeches of many motivational speakers it is now common for all to think positively.

But only thinking in a positive direction never helps. You also need to feel the same way and behave in that direction.

Muscle Relaxation Techniques:

Our body is our servant. As soon as you feel stress your fear hormone spurs fast in your body and you get all physical reactions. Your muscles tense and tight. In many conditions, people do even not consciously know that their muscles are tight. In stressful situations or merely in thinking of stress you need to figure out how to relax your muscles.

You can learn many muscle relaxation techniques and get control of your emotions. When they are going wild and make you crazy.

Mediation:

Transcendental Meditation is a key point if you are facing stress issues continuously. If you meditate over your emotions and thoughts which are unreasonable your body responds to you in the most difficult time. Rather than feeling anxiety and mood swings you take control of your emotions and act in a more positive way.

Keep an Eye on Your Emotions:

It is nowadays very tough to be conscious of each thought and emotion. But these are the most effective psychological tips you can follow if you are aware of your emotions and actions. What are your trigger points? What makes you mood less or overthinker? You need to figure it out by just becoming conscious.

In many cases, people feel stressed when they just watch their favourite team lose a game. Your eye on your emotions works as a compass. It gives you an idea of where you are going.

Behavioral Change:

By CBT many people get to know their beliefs, perceptions, rules, regulations and assumptions about themselves and the world. When you seek a psychologist, he or she can draw your attention to your self-fulfilling prophecy. Once you learn to think new and balanced thoughts and through integrative behavioral therapy you start accepting your stressors.

You immediately take charge of your stressful life situations and change with the new behaviours.

If you learned much about stress but still, want to learn more then click on Stress Management

What is Anxiety?

Anxiety means the fearful emotions which bring a person to future danger. Here, this is more panic and diffuse than fear. Anxiety can be defined cognitively as, “I am worried what might happen”, you feel the tension and chronic arousal is a physical reaction while psychologically you feel general avoidance.

More anxiety is prone to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). It majorly lies in future but in the present scenario person feels uncontrolled.

Few Self-Help Psychological Tips to Overcome Anxiety:

Awareness:

Self-awareness is a key point to cure anxiety issues. You need to define your fears and give them a name. Thinking of the worst outcome is more effective than a person comes across mentally with an undesired outcome. For example, a person feels anxious before a job interview. But by thinking about the worst outcome he may take control of his behaviour. It makes a person prepare for the interview. So rather than worried about the outcome a person uses the same energy in preparation.

Face your fear with Action:

You drive first time and you are anxious about whether you hit someone or not. But with this anxiety and seeing the negative mental images one can never take an action in fear of experiencing an undesired outcome. If you attach to your outcome you never face your fear. But rather you are sitting in a corner having all mental images and audio-visual negative imaginations paralysed you. Just do it. It is the slogan of Nike. Once you do it you. You get experienced and more strong to face your fears.

Shift in Thoughts:

Once you know that your mind makes you vulnerable. You are more prone to think negative than positive. Shift your thoughts by reminding yourself what you think. Just by shifting from one thought to another one. Continuously involving yourself in your actions makes you more strong to face your fears.

Work on your Beliefs:

Of course, your old memories, experiences and beliefs make your world. When you are brought up with a certain rigid thinking process your emotions and actions are the same in different situations. Which brings the same outcome. Work on your beliefs which brings new perceptions about yourself and the world.

Become more Intuitive:

Listening to gut feelings is something we call self-talk. If you find yourself stuck in negative self-belief then work on yourself. Affirmations are key points to change the scenarios. Also, feeling gratitude and developing an acceptance for most tough situations will improve your emotional state. Become more intuitive about your life and plan out accordingly.

These are common but very effective psychological tips to help yourself with stress and anxiety. But always seeking help from a psychologist creates more awareness about yourself. If you want to consult for a session you may definitely approach by booking a session online