What is overthinking?

Overthinking in simple words can be stated as thinking too much and for a long period about a certain thing. But thinking is considered good right? Yes it is, thinking is a good process. But overthinking can have harmful effects on your mental health. Besides, it can affect your decision making skill. Overthinking can make your thoughts cloudy making it unable for you to understand what is right and what is wrong.

If you feel you are one of the people who overthink, below are some points to help you out.

· Awareness is the beginning

To begin with, you must first be aware about your problem of overthinking. You must first realise that yes, I think too much about things. Once you become aware about it. You can take further steps to avoid overthinking.

· Keep yourself active

You overthink only when your mind is free from important thoughts and work. There’s a saying ‘an idle mind is devils workshop’, which means a mind with no important thoughts is a place for negative thoughts. So keep yourself busy, stay active, learn new things and don’t sit idle. If you have nothing to do read books or meditate and think if all the positive things.

· Learn the effects of overthinking

Learn the effects of overthinking on your health. You will then restrict yourself from thinking more. Overthinking can affect your mental health very badly; it can lead you to depression. Therefore, it is advised to stop overthinking.

· Know that you can’t predict the future or change the past

People often overthink about the past or the future, which is totally useless. The past is gone and you can do nothing to change it and the future is completely unpredictable so there’s no point in stressing about it. Instead, you must work on your present, it might help you to have a better future.

· Give things a perspective

It’s easier for our brain to make things bigger than they are and negative. Our brain is an expert in making a mountain out of a molehill. So in such a situation, you must give your thoughts a perspective. Do your thoughts really matter? Will they be the same in future? If no, then you must stop thinking about it.

Also read,

Things to do when you are mentally exhausted

How to open up on mental health

Tips to be happy during Covid-19 lockdown

The importance of deep breathing

Stressed? Tips to stay emotionally healthy