Traumatic events in the past, stress experienced in the present, and high pressures or demands of life can also be the cause of overthinking in someone. “The impact of overthinking if it occurs for a long time is one of them is declining physical health.
While overthinking itself is not a mental illness, it is associated with conditions including depression, anxiety, eating disorders and substance use disorders. Rumination can be common in people who have chronic pain and chronic illness as well, taking the form of negative thoughts about that pain and healing from it.
Overthinking is not a recognized mental disorder all by itself. However, research has found it's often associated with other mental health conditions, including: Depression. Anxiety disorders.
Stressors and past trauma can often trigger patterns of overthinking as well. When these thought cycles start spiraling, it is oftentimes hard to break free from and move past them.
In addition, medications originally designed for depression, the SSRIs (Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, Lexapro, Effexor, Cymbalta, and others), are also capable of lowering the underlying level of anxiety which takes a lot of steam out of this phenomenon.
Kills your creativity
Overthinking can stifle creativity. According to Psychology Today: "Previous research from Stanford University found that 'overthinking' as marked by too much activity in the prefrontal cortex reduced creative capacity."
Overthinking leads to exhausting the brain cells, thus making them incapable of generating creative insights; It decreases self-confidence and fosters self-doubt. Increased tendency to overthink leads to increased self-doubt which again reinforces the overthinking cognitive style.
Someone driven to worry or anxiety through thinking. worrier. worrywart. neurotic. fussbudget.
Illness anxiety disorder may be associated with: Relationship or family problems because excessive worrying can frustrate others. Work-related performance problems or excessive absences. Problems functioning in daily life, possibly even resulting in disability.
Are you always waiting for disaster to strike or excessively worried about things such as health, money, family, work, or school? If so, you may have a type of anxiety disorder called generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). GAD can make daily life feel like a constant state of worry, fear, and dread.
The two types of overthinking are rumination (which involves rehashing past events) and worrying (or hyperfocusing on an anxious concern about the future).
If you can't break free from overthinking, consider getting professional help. Overthinking may be a symptom of a mental health issue, like depression or anxiety. On the flip side, it may also increase your susceptibility to developing mental health problems.
When you can't stop analyzing a situation over and over in your mind, it could be indicative of an anxiety disorder that you aren't aware of, Dr. Van Niel says. These conditions are common, affecting nearly 30 percent of adults at some point in their lives, according to the American Psychiatric Association.
Research says dwelling on your shortcomings, mistakes, and problems increases your risk of mental health problems. And as your mental health declines, your tendency to ruminate increases, which can lead to a vicious cycle that is hard to break. Studies also show that overthinking leads to serious emotional distress.
"Studies show that ruminating on stressful events can, over time, lead to anxiety and depression," warns Dr. Fowler. "From a mental health standpoint, anxiety can affect your ability to cope with everyday stressors, and depression results in sadness, loneliness and feelings of emptiness."
Dwelling on your mistakes, problems and shortcomings increases your chances of being affected by mental health problems. Overthinking can set you up for a vicious cycle that is hard to break. It wreaks havoc on your mental peace and as you lose your peace of mind, you tend to overthink.