At some point in our lives, we can all find ourselves in thought much more often than usual. When trying to make a decision on an important issue, it is not unusual for us to ponder for long periods of time about the effects of the choices we make on our lives. For example, we may get lost in our thoughts more often than usual when choosing the university or department we will attend, while trying to decide whether to marry our romantic partner, when considering the possibility of moving, such as changing city or country, so when we are actually faced with a big decision to make. In these scenarios, it is quite normal (sometimes helpful) to think more often and more intensely than our usual frequency of thoughts, because a big decision to be taken will have big consequences (positive or negative) and this big decision will perhaps completely change many dynamics in our lives.
However, the frequency and intensity of the act of thinking may sometimes not be related to an important decision to be made. Sometimes, we may notice that almost every thought is circulating in our minds over and over again, and our mind is almost 'ruminating' these thoughts. At this point, the concept of “overthinking” can be mentioned. Overthinking can be defined as "a cycle of unproductive thoughts" or "an excessive amount of unnecessary thought". Overthinking is also called rumination. Rumination can be defined as obsessive thinking involving constantly repetitive thoughts or themes that interfere with other mental processes, according to the American Psychological Association. Overthinking often involves two basic temporal contexts: ruminating about the past or worrying about the future. At first glance, it may not be predictable how and why the act of thinking can be harmful. “After all, overthinking something can be helpful in analyzing it from every angle.” you might think. On the other hand, when you think too much about a subject or situation You may find it difficult to focus your mind on anything else.
What are the Causes of Overthinking?
People by nature cannot tolerate uncertainty much. Situations that are not clear enough about the future can trigger anxiety in people. At the same time, the state of uncertainty lowers people's perception of control about events and situations. It is estimated that overthinking is closely related to the perception of control.
Excessive thinking behavior may be exhibited, especially as a precaution against expected events/situations in the future.
For example, you have an exam tomorrow and you don't feel quite ready. The same thoughts may cross your mind non-stop and repetitively about the exam, about the questions, about the bad results that may happen to you. At this point, as we reflect on every possible situation without being aware of it, the uncertainties about the exam and the result of the exam will probably decrease (even if they do not disappear completely). In other words, you may tend to reduce your anxiety by trying to predict everything that may happen to you regarding the exam.
Excessive thinking behavior that occurs against expected situations and events may be used to cope with emotions such as anxiety by increasing the perception of control. But why is there excessive thinking about past events and situations? At this point, some experts think that perfectionism and success-oriented behavior may lie behind excessive thinking behavior. Perfectionists and success-oriented people may tend to overthink because of the fear of failure and the need to be perfect, which leads to reconsidering or criticizing the decisions and mistakes they have made in the past. These individuals may believe that they will learn not to repeat these mistakes in the future by thinking about these undesirable situations in the past and drawing “perfect” lessons from these situations.
Ill Sick of Overthinking is it k?
Overthinking is not among the psychological/psychiatric disorders by itself, but it is seen as a risk factor for many psychological problems. Studies show that overthinking is associated with depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. In addition, a 2013 study found a two-way relationship between overthinking and other psychological problems: High levels of stress, anxiety, and depression can contribute to overthinking, and overthinking can also be associated with increased stress, anxiety, and depression.
What Can You Do?
You may not be able to break the cycle of overthinking right away, but you can try the following ways to take the first step in this direction:
1) Identifying the Trigger
A little awareness and attention can be an important starting point for controlling overthinking. You can increase your awareness of the moments that trigger your excessive thinking by taking note of what goes through your mind and the emotions you feel at the moments that cause you to exhibit excessive thinking behavior. Thus, when you are in a similar situation later on, you can be ready to implement the strategies you can use to avoid excessive thinking behavior.
2) Generating Alternative Thoughts
Our emotions, thoughts and behaviors are in mutual interaction and influence each other. When you identify a thought that can trigger your excessive thinking behavior, you can create an alternative thought to that thought. Later, when the thought that triggers your excessive thinking behavior appears in your mind, you can take note of your alternative thought in order to remind yourself of this alternative thought.
3) Intentional Distraction
Studies have shown that distraction can be beneficial when dealing with overthinking. Too much to distract you At the moments when you realize that you are exhibiting a thinking behavior, you can count backwards by 7 from 100, or you can close your eyes and start moving randomly, then open them and focus your attention on the first object that catches your eye and describe this object in detail. There are many distraction strategies similar to these, you can try and discover the one that suits you best.
4) Taking Time to Think
When planning your day, you can add a short period of time to your schedule where you will just spend thinking. Thus, when you are faced with a situation that triggers your excessive thinking behavior or you want to think about something intensely, you can postpone it to your 'thinking time'.
5) Not Aiming for Perfection
If you think about your past mistakes over and over again and you feel intense discomfort from these mistakes, you may have a tendency towards perfectionism. Remember that missing a piece of a puzzle with hundreds of pieces does not prevent us from seeing the big picture. Instead of fighting your past mistakes, accept them and try to be forgiving yourself instead of getting angry with yourself for your mistakes. Try to imagine what you would say to a friend if he had thoughts and feelings similar to yours because of his past mistakes.
6) Doing Breathing Exercises
If your worries about the future trigger your excessive thinking behavior, you can try various breathing exercises to alleviate your anxiety. You can take the first step in breathing exercises by learning diaphragm breathing.
7) Getting Expert Support
You may believe that you have done everything to overcome the overthinking behavior, however, your overthinking behavior can still seriously affect your daily life. may continue. Your excessive thinking may be related to school/work, social relations or other social activities. If it causes you to experience significant problems at any time, you can get support from an expert.
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