Overthinking is Messing Up Your Life: 16 Ways to Stop
“Between 70-75% of students surveyed reported suffering from anxiety or depression.” Overthinking can cause individuals to worry about problems and give them more attention than they should.
We all know the feeling. That nagging voice in your head that won’t stop talking, dissecting every little thing you do. Second-guessing your every move. It’s called overthinking, and it’s a difficult habit to break.
While a bit of worry and planning is expected, overthinking things can quickly spiral out of control and negatively affect your life in several ways. If you find yourself stuck in a cycle of overthinking, here are a few ways it might negatively impact your life – and what you can do to break the habit.
Table of Contents
How Does Overthinking Affect You?
1. It Paralyzes You With Indecision
One of the most common ways that overthinking affects your life is by paralyzing you with indecision. When overthinking a decision, it can feel like there are a million ways it could go wrong, and it can make you feel defeated and unable to make even the simplest choices.
And when you can’t decide on anything, it can lead to a feeling of powerlessness and anxiety. If you struggle to make decisions, it’s time to learn to trust your gut more.
2. It Makes You Anxious and Stressed
When overthinking things, it’s easy to get caught up in a negative thought spiral. This can leave you anxious and stressed, severely impacting your mental and physical health.
As this happens, you’re not concentrating on possible solutions but on all the ways things could go wrong, which only heightens your anxiety. If you feel stressed and anxious, focus on the positive and look for solutions instead of dwelling on the problem.
It might be worth seeking professional help if you’re struggling with anxiety.
3. It Makes It Hard to Concentrate
If you’re overthinking things, you will struggle to focus on anything else. Your mind is so focused on the problem that it’s challenging to pay attention to anything else. This can impact your work, studies, and relationships.
If you’re having trouble concentrating, step back and clear your mind. Consider going for a walk, listening to music, or reading a book. Taking some time for yourself can help you relax and refocus.
4. It Can Cause Physical Problems
When overthinking things, it’s not just your mental health that suffers. The physical effects of stress can cause many problems, from headaches and stomach aches to insomnia and fatigue. See a doctor if you’re struggling with physical problems that you think might be stress-related.
How to Stop Overthinking
Now that you know how overthinking can affect your life let’s see how to stop it.
5. Accept That You’re Overthinking
The first step to breaking the overthinking habit is to accept that you’re doing it. Getting caught up in your thoughts can be easy, and you may not even realize that you’re overthinking things. If you worry about something, take a step back and ask yourself if you’re thinking about it constructively.
If you have a hard time sleeping, there are many natural supplements to try that can help you ease into sleep better.
6. Challenge Your Negative Thoughts
Once you’ve identified that you’re overthinking, the next step is to challenge your negative thoughts. When you’re caught up in a cycle of worry, you’ll struggle to see things objectively. But it’s important to remember that just because you’re thinking something doesn’t make it true.
When you think negative thoughts, ask yourself if there’s any evidence to support them. If there isn’t, try to reframe your thoughts in a more positive light.
7. Focus on the Present
One of the best ways to stop overthinking is to focus on the present. When overthinking, it is easy to worry about things that haven’t happened yet or dwell on things that have already happened. But by living in the present, you can release yourself from this cycle of worry.
Try to focus on the here and now and what you can do at this moment to make things better. You will feel more in control and less anxious.
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy is an excellent way of doing this that allows focusing on breathing and the thoughts that are currently in front of you. This helps bring you back down when anxiety overstimulates you or depression makes you feel like you don’t have the energy or desire to do things.
8. Take a Break
Another effective way to stop overthinking is to take a break; this doesn’t mean you must stop thinking about whatever is bothering you. But it is helpful to take some time out so you can return to it with fresh eyes.
Taking a break can help you to clear your head and come up with more constructive solutions. So, if you’re feeling overwhelmed, don’t hesitate to step away from the problem for a little while.
9. Visualize Yourself Succeeding
Close your eyes and picture yourself doing whatever you want to achieve.
For example, when I am at that gym struggling to finish the last few repetitions of my set, I picture myself doing that exercise but doing a heavier weight and already being way ahead of the rep I am on. This allows me to see myself succeeding, and I focus my attention and efforts on making that goal happen but giving myself grace if I don’t meet it the first time I try.
How to Stop Overthinking at Night
If you find yourself overthinking at night, there are a few things you can do to try and ease your mind.
10. Try Relaxation Techniques
Deep breathing or progressive muscle relaxation is a great way to ease your mind and body before bed. These relaxation techniques can help you release muscle tension and clear your mind of racing thoughts.
11. Write It Down
If you’re worried about forgetting something, write it down. This action can help to ease your mind and allow you to focus on relaxing.
Journaling can help you simplify what you are trying to process and figure out. Getting a guided journal that covers your gratitudes and goals for your life can help you stay focused on what is most important and avoid overthinking.
12. Focus on the Positive
Before you go to bed, focus on the positive things that have happened during the day. Ending the day on a more positive note will ease your mind into sleep.
This sounds so simple but may be very challenging for most of us. Another way I like to phrase it is if I have a goal that I want to achieve, what thoughts help me get to that? I need to pursue those thoughts, write about them and convince myself that those are more helpful to me than thoughts that do not align with achieving my goals.
13. Avoid Caffeine and Alcohol Before Bed
Caffeine and alcohol can interfere with sleep, so it’s best to avoid them before bed. When you struggle to sleep at night, there’s a chance that you’ll start to overthink things. So, doing what you can to encourage a good night’s sleep is essential. Try to reduce caffeine during the day and avoid drinking alcohol in the evening.
14. Create a Nightly Routine
Creating a nightly routine can help to signal to your body that it’s time for sleep. This practice might involve taking a relaxing bath, reading a book, or stretching gently. Following the same routine, you can train your body to wind down and prepare for sleep each night.
15. Meditate
Meditation can help you silence the noise that is going on in your mind, and it helps you relax. It also teaches you mindfulness and how your breathing can minimize the physical symptoms associated with your overthinking.
16. CBT
Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a form of therapy commonly used by mental health professionals to help you challenge your unhelpful, negative ways of thinking. It is the combination of cognitive therapy, which challenges our thoughts, and behavioral therapy, which challenges the behaviors we do in response to our opinions.
Some common misconceptions may include “why bother trying? I am going to fail anyway” or “I have so much to do I will never catch up and be able to enjoy life.”
We can challenge these thoughts and see if there are more helpful ways of thinking. We can change our thoughts and opinions, which will allow us to be less worried about planning the next thing or focus on whether or not you said the “right” thing.
Closing Thoughts
Overthinking can be a destructive habit that affects many aspects of your life. But by following these tips, you can learn how to stop overthinking and start living a more productive and positive life.
Originally posted 2022-08-11 14:41:11.
Megan Santiago
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