Overthinking rarely leads to positive outcomes. Knowing its costs should spur you to do something about it, if you want more success.
Research shows that overreacting, constantly worrying, and living in a state of perpetual anxiety can reduce life expectancy.
The good news is that you weren't born an overthinker. Overthinking is the result of one fact of human existence: we all have patterns to our behavior. These patterns, good and bad, develop over time based on life experiences. And just as patterns are learned, they can also be unlearned.
Is overthinking a mental illness? No, overthinking isn't a recognized mental health condition, but it can be a symptom of depression or anxiety. Overthinking is commonly associated with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), says Duke. GAD is characterized by the tendency to worry excessively about several things.
It's a mental habit that can be broken. You can train your brain to look at life from a different perspective. To overcome overthinking, Pittman recommends you replace the thought. “Telling yourself to not to have a certain thought is not the way to not have the thought,” she says.”You need to replace the thought.”
The good news is that just as with many behaviors that harm mental wellbeing, overthinking is something that can be changed. It takes some effort, but keeping your overthinking to a minimum is 100% feasible and 1000% worth the work.
Overthinking strikes all of us at some point, but if it goes unchecked and unresolved, overthinking can certainly morph healthy relationships into toxic relationships. If you fall victim to your thoughts and allow them to go too far, they can end up driving a wedge of distrust between you and other people in your life.
Although there are positive traits of an overthinker, such as patience, commitment, dedication, drive, and passion, overthinking also promotes stress, anxiety, self-consciousness, and lack of self-confidence. It can be difficult to find any mental peace when you're thinking about every situation.
Overthinking can be viewed as both a strength and a weakness; it is, therefore, not a strong answer to give when asked about your weaknesses at interview. In some respects, someone that overthinks can be perceived to be unsure of themselves and their decision-making.
Research shows that overthinking is prevalent among young (25-35-year-olds) and middle-aged adults (45-55-year- olds). Overthinking tends to be worse among women. And too much thinking can lead to mental health issues such as depression and anxiety, emotional distress, and self-destructive behaviours.
A study reported in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease has confirmed that women overthink more than men do, due to their brains having more activity.
Overthinking can lead to a stratergy if it's a serious enough situation that you have gut feelings about along with doubt. Overthinking may very well be a sign of intelligence but that is not important.
But you're not alone—research suggests 73% of 25- to 35-year-olds chronically overthink, along with 52% of people ages 45 to 55. In many cases, overthinking could show up as rumination, which often involves perseverating on events of the past and even the present with a negative mindset.
Overthinking may appear to be a simple problem, but it is far from it. Overthinkers may be difficult to date, but that doesn't make them bad people. However, a relationship with them is fraught with danger. While being an overthinker is difficult, loving one is even more difficult.
Cortisol is also known as 'the fight or flight hormone' which explains its role in connection with fear-based overthinking that amplifies negative beliefs and causes destructive behavior patterns associated with worry and fear.
Overthinking changes the structure and connectivity of the brain leading to mood disorders therefore it can lead to mental illnesses such as anxiety, stress, and depression. Moreover, it can decrease your energy to focus and can affect your problem solving and decision making power.
Reasons Why We Overthink
Overthinking from a need for perfectionism can cause the overthinking to be before, during, and after any situation we face. Low self-confidence is perhaps one of the most common causes of overthinking and has the ability to further diminish self-worth.
Anxiety and Relationship Problems: Overthinking
Negative, anxious thoughts in relationships cause worries about the relationship, what-ifs, worst-case scenarios, and dread. These manifest as jealousy, anger, distrust, and paranoia. Challenges arise when people act on these thoughts.
Stress, anxiety, perfectionism, and negative thought patterns can all contribute to overthinking. If you'd like to gain control over overthinking, you might start by practicing mindfulness, challenging negative thoughts, engaging in self-care, practicing positive self-talk, and spending time with friends and family.
Overthinkers appear more insecure than they really are. Because of your indecisive nature it may cause others to view you as unsure of yourself. This becomes apparent in working situations because you take too long to make decisions for clients or projects.
Overthinking in relationships can lead to a myriad of challenges. Essentially, you're living in the future or the past and aren't able to be emotionally available for your partner in the moment. You can find yourself experiencing significant emotional distress because of the anxiety that comes from overthinking.
Don't try to change them
They are who they are, and no amount of coaxing or cajoling is going to change that. Trying to change an overthinker will only lead to frustration and resentment, so it's best to accept them for who they are.