What is Overthinking?

Overthinking is the process of constantly analyzing and anguishing over one's thoughts, it may also

include rumination, in which an individual is stuck mentally rehashing their past or present decisions or

actions.

Common causes of Overthinking:

Overthinking may commonly be caused by low self-esteem, self-doubt, being too concerned about your

past life patterns in relations, prior to bad experiences; traumatic experiences; or anxiety.

It happens when we assume each problem is centered on us and instead of solving it, we just keep

drowning into it by overthinking.

Imagining useless situations, that won't even happen; comes with anxiety that we are often left feeling

physically and emotionally unwell.

Harms of Overthinking:

 The most basic and dangerous effect of overthinking is that we soon start to believe all those

thoughts that are already disturbing us, leading us in an even worse condition, and low self-

esteem.

 You obsess about or over-analyze your day to day experiences and interactions with people.

 You inflate every word, thought and event beyond really and reasonable proportions, reading into

things that aren't actually there.

 Overthinking can be detrimental to performance, and may lead to clinical anxiety and depression.

And also, to some other disorders such as PTSD, or Borderline Personality Disorder.

How to Overcome Overthinking?

There is no one solution to everyone's issue of overthinking, but some techniques and strategies
recommended by Psychologists are:

1. Mindfulness Meditation:

You can either jump on the negative thoughts and let them grow, or let them continue on their way, and

ignore them. To keep yourself relax, Sit on a straight-backed chair or cross-legged on the floor. Focus on

an aspect of your breathing, such as the sensations of air flowing into your nostrils and out of your mouth,

or your belly rising and falling as you inhale and exhale, and remove all the negative thoughts from your

head.

2. Diaphragmatic Breathing:

Diaphragmatic breathing, or deep breathing, is breathing that is done by contracting the diaphragm, a

muscle located horizontally between the thoracic cavity and abdominal cavity. Air enters the lungs; the

chest does not rise and the belly expands during this type of breathing. Practice this exercise when you are

feeling low or have unrelated thoughts wandering your head, to remove them.

3. Awareness:

Keep yourself aware, of what your internal thoughts are doing to your mental state and building

awareness around your internal monologue. It’s a long process but awareness is the key. If you have the

insight of what your thoughts are doing to you then there's a chance that you can change them and prevent

further damage.

4. Distraction Techniques:

When it comes to anxiety or overthinking, distraction is a powerful tool. Sometimes talking about your

worries or problems only makes them feel more tangible and real. Instead, make it a priority to get out of

your head and focus on something else. Going for a walk outside and observe your surroundings.

Cooking, crafting, exercising, reading, catching up with friends, and listening to soothing music are all
great options.

5. Progressive Muscle Relaxation:

Progressive muscle relaxation is a method that relieves the tension. In progressive muscle relaxation, you

tense a group of muscles as you breathe in, and you relax them as you breathe out. You work on your

muscle groups in a certain order. When your body is physically relaxed, you cannot feel anxious.

Practicing progressive muscle relaxation for a few weeks will help you improve this skill and, in time,

you'll be able to use this method to relieve stress.

6. Rumination and Self-Acceptance:

Practicing self-acceptance and reframing seemingly "negative" character traits can do wonders for anxiety

management and confidence. People and personality traits are not one-dimensional, and rumination is no

exception. Reframing the act of rumination itself is very helpful.