Do you ever find yourself stuck in a loop of thoughts, going over and over things in your head until it feels like your brain might explode?
It's exhausting isn't it?
But how do you know if you're just thinking or overthinking?
Essentially, overthinking is when you find yourself going round and round in circles with the same thoughts which are often worries about the past or the future. It's like having a never-ending conversation with yourself, where every possible scenario plays out in your mind.
Overthinking can have a huge effect on your mental health. It can cause anxiety, stress, and even depression.
When you overthink, your mind gets cluttered with negative thoughts, and that makes it hard to concentrate on anything else. This then has a knock on effect in every other area of your life as it can cause you to lose your focus and your confidence.
It can affect your relationships, as it can make you second-guess yourself and other people.
You might also find it hard to make decisions, as you're always weighing up the pros and cons in your mind but don't actually feel comfortable with making a decision.
So, how can you do to stop overthinking?
Practice mindfulness.
This involves being present in the moment and paying attention to your thoughts and feelings but without judging them. By doing this, you can learn to let the negative thoughts pass on by and work on focusing on the here and now.
Once you know which thoughts aren't helping you, you can challenge them. So when you catch yourself overthinking, instead of going down the rabbit hole as you might usually do, ask yourself if your thoughts are helping you or just causing you more stress. Then you can start to reframe negative thoughts into truthful statements that you can find a solution for. This helps you to take back control and feel more in charge of your life.
2.Take care of your physical health, as this can also have a big impact on your mental well-being. Make sure you're getting enough sleep, eating a balanced diet, and getting some exercise and most importantly taking time out to relax and do the things that you love that help to quieten your busy mind.
3.Don't be afraid to ask for help if you're struggling with overthinking. Talking to a friend, family member, or a professional can give you the help and support you need to break free from overthinking.
It's okay to take a step back and give your mind a break. You don't have to live life at full tilt. We're not actually designed to work that way, we're designed to work with the ebbs and flows of natures rhythms and seasons. Having periods of business and time for rest.
So be kind to yourself. Stopping putting yourself under so much pressure and say no occasionally. You are allowed!
Take care of you.
Chris.
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Hi. I'm Chris.
I'm a Trauma Informed Life and mindset therapist, and I help people make powerful changes in their lives.
If this is speaking to you, get in touch to find out how I can support you.
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