Are you absorbed in troublesome thoughts to the point where they disrupt daily functioning? Well, you may be overthinking! It occurs when fears, worries, past pains, everyday stresses, and challenges overwhelm us, causing our minds to circle thoughts on potential future outcomes. An overthinker may pass hours in contemplation and feel exhausted mentally without engaging in any kind of action. For some of us these thoughts may be a constant unstoppable chatter in the head completely random and irrelevant whereas for others they might be specific like worrying about career, finances, relationships, or overpowering feelings of insecurity, uncertainty or lack of stability. This may affect your mental health over time. Let us know from Dr Shilpa Gupta, Emotional Freedom Technique Trainer, Therapist, and Founder of Emo-Aid Wellness how to safeguard mental health if you are an overthinker.
Overthinking in one way is a self-limiting phenomenon. It shows its snowball effect by beginning with a mere thought which gets mixed with a trail of speeding thoughts of an unsuccessful future or reminding of flashbacks of failures from the past experiences. The speed of these thoughts increases with many more additions of what ifs, should’s and don’ts. The mind gives us a theatrical experience with voices and images. All these thought engagements appear so real that overthinkers usually hold back.
According to Dr Gupta, there is more justification of why not to do something than taking an initiative, sharing ideas, creating fun, enjoying small wins or building healthy relationships. The fear of failure in the core is invisible due to speeding thoughts so all that we can observe at the behaviour level might be subtle like procrastination and low confidence due to self-doubt or more evident like anxiety, nervousness and sleepless nights. Does this appear familiar? The question is - For how long am I willing to allow these thoughts to sabotage my life?
Also Read: 5 Tips To Get Over Overthinking
How to control and manage overthinking
Managing overthinking begins with acceptance and taking concrete steps to address underlying issues. Here’s how we can break free from the vicious cycle to lift our moods:
Break the cycle
Remind yourself repeatedly- I am the boss of my mind and I choose to manage my thoughts. Put a reminder every 2 hours and for only 2 minutes simply focus on your breath, centering your focus on nasal breath. The more you focus on your breath the more you become thoughtless.
Journaling
Expressing your thoughts with simple writing Journaling is a therapeutic release. Whenever worries surround you, attempt to write them down. The language doesn’t matter, handwriting doesn’t matter. Simply pour out your thoughts even if they are incomplete sentences. This is simply an exercise of sharing with the notebook. The point is to release the troublesome thoughts and experience the relief.
Also Read: Mental Health Matters: Why Do I Overthink So Much?
Watch this video for yoga poses to manage stress
I control my thoughts
Simplest way is to compartmentalise and mentally store worries and intrusive thoughts in one imaginary box. Shut the box and keep it aside and pull out only one thing on which you need to take action in the present moment. Repeat it as many times in a day as per your need.
Separating facts from thoughts
Catch your thoughts by asking an easy question- Is this thought a fact like- Did I observe or hear it myself? or is it something I am brewing in my head. Remind yourself, it is just a thought and choose to engage in some other activity.
Seek support from a therapist, counsellor or a psychologist
While we can address many challenges independently and make significant strides, there are occasions when the ceaseless cycle of overthinking resists our best efforts to quell it.
A concrete way ahead
Some modern emotional well-being techniques are designed to offer assistance without extensive personal disclosure. Examples include positive well-being programmes or modern techniques like the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). The aim is to equip ourselves with practical strategies while receiving internal relief and calmness, ultimately leading an empowered life. You can reach out to Dr Gupta at drshilpa@ccaw.in.
