The main factors that can lead to overthinking are stress and anxiety, which can be common in the times we're in, says Syslo. So, considering the past two years, it's likely you've found yourself overthinking at some point. "Anxiety is typically a response to fear — a fear of what might come,” says Syslo.
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.
Here are three strategies I use every day to stop overthinking:
Positive reframing. This is often confused with “toxic positivity,” which asks people to think positively — no matter how difficult a situation is. ...
Write down your thoughts once, then distract yourself for 24 hours. ...
In order to figure out how to manage overthinking, you have to understand what exactly is happening in your brain in the first place that causes the constant worrying. According to Davis, it all goes down in the prefrontal cortex, or what she calls "the control center" of the brain.
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.
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.
What happens to your body when you overthink too much?
Some of her patients who deal with negative thoughts and anxiety have also experienced headaches, body aches and stomach problems, she said. Overthinking is also often associated with mental health issues like depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress and borderline personality disorder.
What happens to your brain when you overthink too much?
"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."
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.
This means you live with constant symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, such as edginess and mood swings. Child sexual abuse often also leads to borderline personality disorder, which causes incessant overthinking about what others think about you and if they will abandon you.
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. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
An overthinker wants to know that you still love them. They need to be constantly reassured by their partners in a relationship. Even if the cause of their restlessness is completely unfounded and out of the box, focus on assuring them that everything is fine and that you still care about them.
Benzodiazepines (also known as tranquilizers) are the most widely prescribed type of medication for anxiety. Drugs such as Xanax (alprazolam), Klonopin (clonazepam), Valium (diazepam), and Ativan (lorazepam) work quickly, typically bringing relief within 30 minutes to an hour.
Stress is also why you want to sleep but your brain won't stop talking to itself. That's because when the mind is under pressure, it releases a hormone called cortisol, which is also what the body uses to wake you up in the morning.
