A root fear: Overthinking stems from a particular insecurity or root fear. This insecurity may be from childhood, a past relationship, or general low self-esteem or trust issues.
What is being insecure? Being insecure is uncertain or anxious about oneself; not confident. What is overthinking? Overthinking is think about (something) too much or for too long.
Often overthinking is a byproduct of anxiety or depression. If this is the case, you can treat your anxiety or depression to reduce overthinking. You may also find that overthinking only materializes when you need to make a tough life decision or are dealing with your insecurities.
Overthinking is linked to psychological problems, like depression and anxiety. It's likely that overthinking causes mental health to decline and as your mental health declines, the more likely you are to overthink. It's a vicious downward spiral.
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.
Thus, overthinking can lead to self-sabotage by driving a wedge and creating barriers to engaging in productive behaviors that increase connection and intimacy, especially when these patterns of thinking can lead to unconsciously summoning problems where there are none.
Can Overthinking End a Relationship? Overthinking strikes all of us at some point, but if it goes unchecked and unresolved, overthinking can certainly morph healthy relationships into toxic relationships.
Emotional insecurity
An insecure person lacks confidence in their own value, and one or more of their capabilities, lacks trust in themselves or others, or has fears that a present positive state is temporary, and will let them down and bring about loss or distress by "going wrong" in the future.
One sign of insecurity is low self-esteem or negative self-image, particularly when that image seems to be inconsistent with external observation. Low self-esteem means you think badly about yourself or your abilities. It can lead to other problems, especially concerning mental health.
Typically, people who feel insecure often have a fear of not being good enough, or not having enough to offer others. A person who feels insecure may suffer from an inferiority complex, which makes them believe they will never be good enough to be loved or wanted.
Not all forms fit neatly into categories either, but some of the most common types of insecurity include relationship insecurity, social insecurity, body image insecurity, job insecurity, and insecurity of basic needs.
The fear of being socially judged is one of the most common forms of insecurity. Some people feel self-conscious, anxious, and fearful when in front of others. It doesn't matter whether it's a group of colleagues or family members. This can extend to even the smallest of social encounters like a date.
Face/ Skin. One of the biggest insecurities people can develop throughout their lives is how one's face looks; acne, oily skin, moles, freckles or even scars are marks that can lead people to think they're unattractive and therefore feel insecure.
"Overthinking can affect how you experience and engage with the world around you — preventing you from making important decisions, keeping you from enjoying the present moment and draining you of the energy you need to handle daily stressors," explains Dr. Fowler.
The regular patterns of overthinking may lead to anxiety, irritability, panic attacks as well as low appetite, irregular sleep patterns, high blood pressure, and much more. Emotions play a significant role when it comes to keeping oneself sane. The focus should be to trick the brain to stop worrying and overthinking.
While introspection can lead to self-understanding, insights, solutions and goal-setting, rumination can make us feel self-critical, self-doubting, stifled or even self-destructive. Much of the time, when we are overthinking, we are engaging in a destructive thought process that leads to unfavorable outcomes.
Stress and anxiety are likely to be two of the most common causes of overthinking. Stress can further amplify the cycle of overthinking, as worrying tends to breed more worrying. Try to recognize when your mind begins to spiral downward and take measures to prevent it from taking control.
They seek reassurance
Overthinking is rooted in insecurity. An overthinker wants to know that you still love them. They need to be constantly reassured by their partners in a relationship.
It may be hard to love an overthinker because there are times when you have to step up in the relationship. You might have to make decisions, offer support, and give them their space when you feel like you need some of these things yourself. However, this doesn't mean that you won't get anything back from your mate.
Overthinking often involves ruminating about the past and worrying about the future. Overthinking isn't the same as healthy problem-solving. Problem-solving consists of thinking about a difficult situation when necessary. Overthinking, on the other hand, involves dwelling on the problem.
Overthinking can be an all-natural process, it can also be the result if the creative and overly active ADHD brain. While most believe overthinking to be a symptom of obsessive-compulsive disorder, it' actually relates more to ADHD.