Overinclusive thinking is usually conceptualized as the inability to preserve conceptual boundaries and identified as a cognitive characteristic of individuals with schizotypy who show an over-responsiveness to associative or irrelevant aspects of words and extraneous stimuli (Payne and Friedlander, 1962).
Example: A law that requires all people to wear helmets while walking on the sidewalk would be overinclusive because it would burden people who are not at risk of head injuries, such as those who are walking in a quiet residential area.
The use of a concept to encompass too broad a range of items, indicating an inability to preserve conceptual boundaries, so that distantly associated items become incorporated into concepts, making them abstract and obscure. It is characteristic of thought disorder in schizophrenia.
For example, you think that you're being harmed or harassed; certain gestures or comments are directed at you; you have exceptional ability or fame; another person is in love with you; or a major catastrophe is about to occur. Delusions occur in most people with schizophrenia.
Content thought disorder is a thought disturbance in which a person experiences multiple, fragmented delusions, typically a feature of schizophrenia and some other mental disorders which include obsessive-compulsive disorder and mania.
Examples of common content of obsessional thoughts: Fear of contamination by people or the environment. Disturbing sexual thoughts or images. Religious, often blasphemous, thoughts or fears.
Narcissistic Personality Disorder: Compulsive talking may be a symptom of Narcissistic Personality Disorder. In this case, compulsive talking often manifests as a relentless need to self-promote or belittle others.
Someone with a thought disorder may have trouble organizing, processing, or expressing their thoughts. They may also have trouble expressing themselves verbally and in writing. Thought disorder is common in schizophrenia, psychosis, and mania. Someone with a thought disorder may be difficult to understand.
In many ways, intense anxiety can cause the feeling of going crazy - as though you are losing touch with reality. Sometimes this is nothing more than a feeling or thought. Other times this is caused by additional anxiety symptoms that resemble those of true psychosis. One such symptom is hallucinations.
Disorganised thinking and speech
Racing thoughts is when your thoughts go through your head very fast. It can involve them racing so fast that they feel out of control. Flight of ideas is where your thoughts move very quickly from idea to idea, making links and seeing meaning between things that other people don't.
In short, schizotypal individuals are eccentric. Not all schizotypal people have a personality disorder, however. They are often very high functioning, talented and intelligent.
Not everyone with schizotypal personality has a personality disorder, however. Many are bright and high-functioning. Carson cited various studies that found that creative people tend to score higher on schizotypal surveys.
Overthinking is commonly associated with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), says Duke. GAD is characterized by the tendency to worry excessively about several things. “Someone can develop GAD due to their genes. Or it could be personality factors like the inability to tolerate uncertainty in life.
ˌō-vər-in-ˈklü-siv. : including more than is necessary or advisable. specifically : relating to or being legislation that burdens more people than necessary to accomplish the legislation's goal compare underinclusive.
Adjective. Too inclusive; tending to include too much.
ˌən-dər-in-ˈklü-siv. : not sufficiently inclusive : excluding something that should be included. specifically : not affecting others similarly situated with respect to the purpose of the law and especially in violation of equal protection. an underinclusive classification.
Overthinking will impact the brain
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.
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.
Schizophrenia could be caused by the patient internalizing traumatic memories and thinking about them too much, which can be self-destructive. It is known that patients with schizophrenia often have posttraumatic stress disorder.
People who have psychotic episodes are often totally unaware their behaviour is in any way strange or that their delusions or hallucinations are not real. They may recognise delusional or bizarre behaviour in others, but lack the self-awareness to recognise it in themselves.
Grandiosity refers to a sense of specialness and self-importance that might lead you to: boast about real or exaggerated accomplishments. consider yourself more talented or intelligent than others. dismiss or try to one-up the achievements of others.
Typically, a psychotic break indicates the first onset of psychotic symptoms for a person or the sudden onset of psychotic symptoms after a period of remission. Symptoms may include delusional thoughts and beliefs, auditory and visual hallucinations, and paranoia.
No two people with bipolar disorder share the same thoughts or experiences, but there are some common thought patterns among most folks who have it. This includes cyclical thinking, manic and/or depressive episodes, suicidal ideation, and psychosis.
If you're highly self-conscious or socially anxious, worrying about being perceived as a “toxic person” might lead you to under-share your needs and to a lack of connection with others. On the other hand, oversharing may be a trauma response or a sign that you are ready for or need support.