Written by: M. Asadullah Mohsin
OVERTHINKING
Are you an over-thinker? So am I. It’s basically thinking about something in endless circles. Its a vicious loop, energy-draining & exhausting. Overthinking means to think over the same thing over and over again and end up drawing no conclusion.
Overthinking is a national epidemic among young and middle-aged adults but is relatively rare among older adults: 73 percent of 25-35-year-olds overthink compared to 52 percent of 45-55-year-olds and just 20 percent of 65-75-year-olds. Old people are really blessed ones!
Normally women are prone to overthinking and 57% women are over-thinkers whereas 43% men are over-thinkers as well. We enter into this loop while sitting, studying, before sleeping or you can say pretty much anytime.
CAUSES OF OVERTHINKING
- Overthinking about people’s reactions
- Underestimating yourself
- Spending too much time doing “NOTHING”
- Excessive use of social media
- Domestic issues
SIGNS OF OVERTHINKING
- Worrying too much about things that happened in past and imagining different scenarios related to different responses of people
- Thinking about possible replies you would have given in a conversation. These are generally the replies that prompt into your mind after the discussion has ended and you merely curse yourself for not giving such replies
- Overthinking of past or future and unable to live in present
- Recalling the past moments time and again and thinking of different situations that would have happened if you have dealt it some other way
- Excessive Nostalgia
- Beginning from one topic and ending up in almost an entirely different dimension
HOW TO PREVENT OVERTHINKING
1- SPEND LESS TIME IN YOUR HEAD
Basic idea is to reconnect with your immediate world and everything around you. When you begin to notice things around you, you are actually spending less time in your head which proves very fruitful in overcoming the act of overthinking.
2- TELL YOURSELF TO “STOP”
Literally say word “STOP” a bit loud, it will really work.
3- ASK YOURSELF THE RIGHT QUESTIONS
Ask yourself the questions about things that you have perceived by yourself without knowing the reality. For example, if you are thinking about your image in front of someone and thinking that person doesn’t like you, question yourself, “WHO TOLD YOU THIS??”
This will help you understand it’s all in your head. In short, be rational in your thoughts.
4- JOTE DOWN
Jote down your jumbled thoughts and try to replace them with the happy things going around. Similarly, write down your pain points and then intentionally stop your mind to get diverted to these points.
5- SPENDING LESS TIME ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Spend less time on social media and social media friends and give more of your time to your family and real life friends. In 2020, the global social penetration rate reached 49 percent, with East Asia and North America having the highest penetration rate at 71 and 69 percent respectively, followed by Northern Europe at 67 percent. This shows the increasing trend toward social media and hence increasing trend toward depression and anxiety. Instead, find some healthy tasks such as gardening or some other hobby to divert your mind and keep your mind engaged.
6- LAST BUT NOT LEAST
Engage yourself in plenty of works so that you don’t allow these unnecessary thoughts to pop up in your head. Get proper sleep, practice some dance/exercise, appreciate nature, try a new hobby, try reading good books, and LOVE YOURSELF.
