Everyone overthinks at times, especially in stressful situations or when something affects us deeply. It is when you find yourself analysing every detail of your interactions, dwelling on the past, worrying about the future, or second guessing every decision you make that you need to take a step back and STOP thinking about it!

Overthinking is never really solution orientated, it is only exhausting, and it leaves little time or energy to take productive action. The fact is that overthinking and Psychological problems such as anxiety and depression are often synonymous and one certainly exacerbates the other. 

The problem is that if you are an overthinker you may not know it, and in order to break out of this uncompromising cycle, you need to be aware of it in the first place. You also need to be aware of what your triggers are so that you may endeavour to avoid, or at least intercept them.  

Here are a few traits that nearly all overthinkers will identify with: 

• You worry about things that you have no control over  
• You relive past painful or embarrassing moments
• You obsess over things you could possibly have done or said differently
• You cannot sleep well because your mind won’t shut down
• You assume that people think negatively about you
• You try to find hidden meanings in everything
• You worry about things that are not the most important
• You have repetitive thoughts or your thoughts go around in circles
• You feel emotionally and mentally exhausted from all the thinking
• You play over imaginary scenarios in your head
• You struggle to make decisions
• You always want to know why

If you struggle with overthinking, the first step is to identify the problem and take conscious steps to try and alter the course of your thinking patterns.  
 
When you find yourself imaging different scenarios of how something may play out or worrying about terrible things in the future or past, try to break out of it and distract yourself with something else. We often find solutions to our problems just by letting them sit in our subconscious for a while. Practice focusing on trying to find solutions instead of focusing on the problem itself.  

Overthinking can lead to intense uncomfortable emotions which then amplify anxiety and depression and make us feel out of control.  

When you find yourself reliving some past event that caused you anguish, try to reflect and figure out how to do things differently the next time. 

Overthinking is also a thief… it robs us not only of our inner peace but also of our precious sleep. Sleep deprivation is a huge contributor to poor mental health…
 
It has been found that there is often a link between a poor self-image and overthinking. If this is the case, or if it is linked to excessive anxiety or depression, it is best to talk to someone or even try therapy.  It will be the best present that you can give to yourself. 

The good news is that as you get older you tend to overthink less as you gain more life experience, and you realise that, for the most part, these ‘troubles’ that are weighing you down or are not important enough to be plaguing your thoughts and bringing you down. 

With the correct guidance and through a series of reliable processes, it is absolutely possible to overcome the anxiety that overthinking manifests.

If you wish to learn more about how this is possible, then click here for information.