Have you caught yourself being a little too much in your head lately? The good news is, it does not mean you are an overthinker. Moreover, we all sometimes shift from the present moment and get caught up in a cycle of endless worrying about something and building up a long list of 'what-ifs.'

Still, overthinking remains a prevalent problem among teens and adults, and not everyone possesses the good coping skills to get rid of the negative thoughts and uncomfortable emotions.

Although some may consider overthinking a trait of character that is a part of personality and cannot be changed, in fact, it is kind of a habit that needs correction if one wants to live a life and feel content.

Overthinking is often linked to mental health conditions like generalized anxiety disorder and depression. What comes first? It's kind of a chicken-or-egg question, but what is for sure is the fact that signs of overthinking are often noticeable enough to be identified and addressed. Hence, we all can eliminate our dependency on constant fears and regrets that come with overthinking!

The sooner you recognize you are following the same destructive thought patterns, the easier it will be for you to work on your mental health and stop overthinking.

So, what signs of overthinking are there? Let's take a closer look at them so you surely acknowledge those the next time you start to experience intrusive negative thoughts.

Common Behavioral Signs of Overthinking

Behavioral changes due to overthinking notably influence your daily life. You can feel how the unhelpful thought patterns reduce the quality of your life and become a bad habit with time. Over time, overthinking can lead to excessive regret about the past and anxiety about the future. . But, there are even more behavioral changes that come with overthinking.

Indecisiveness

This one surely grows from worrying about getting some negative consequences. A person who is scared of getting in trouble in the future is likely to doubt their decisions a lot.

For example, an overthinker can easily stumble over the need to choose the commute method. 'Should I take a taxi? It could be a faster way. But it's costly, too. And what if there is a traffic jam? Then I should probably take the subway. But it's rush hour—what if I will have to let a few trains pass because they are too crowded? Then I will certainly be late!'

Eventually, a person will definitely be late, not because of the bad traffic, but because of the time wasted sitting at home and trying to count what could work best.

This monologue might seem funny, but imagine it happened to someone who had an upcoming job interview.

There is a special phenomenon that leads from overthinking to indecisiveness, and it is called analysis paralysis. It refers to a situation where overthinking prevents a person from making a decision, ultimately leading to missed opportunities. It can be an enemy to our development and moving forward in many areas of life.

Procrastination

Postponing things, no matter how important they are, is an unhealthy pattern that has many potential negative outcomes. Still, it is quite a widespread practice, and sometimes it grows out of overthinking.

Striving for perfection leaves many people frozen in their inactivity because they are too scared to make mistakes. It is a type of all or nothing thinking: the result has to either be ideal or not exist at all. Every possible worst-case scenario floods your mind when you think of numerous ways to fail and not perform at your best.

Imagine a work task you need to deliver by a particular date. It is quite complicated, so the earlier you start, the better. But there is something stopping you from beginning to work on it. What can it be? A fear that you won't do your best. A lack of clarity about the assignment can also make you overthink how your boss perceives you. An erroneous estimate of the task or your own skills and capabilities! It can be any of the reasons of procrastinaton, and still, they will result in anxiety, delays, lack of rest and relaxation, and significant stress, as well as too much thinking about the task you simply fail to deliver on time.

Those who want to succeed should prefer acting over thinking and spend their time wisely. A productive approach involves planning and execution rather than getting stuck in endless risk calculations.

Overanalyzing

Overall, this is very similar to overthinking, but when we use the term overanalyzing it usually means that one gets into too much detail and follows an unhealthy tendency to view minor issues too closely.

For instance, you have had a very short conversation with a colleague, and it seemed to you that this colleague treated you a little bit too cold. You think about this conversation later that day, and then even at night, tossing and turning, and second guessing every word and intonation they spoke. If you can't help but try to examine everything that happened, observing over the most insignificant details, that is overanalyzing.

It is quite ironic that other people who participate in conversations like that, the other participants in the conversation, often don't know that they may have provoked such a mental spiral. However, sometimes this kind of behavior is a consequence of inner anxiety and cognitive bias.

This kind of behavior not only harms the overthinker but can also spoil many relations at work, with friends, or with family. Some people are not ready to confront overthinkers, explaining themselves and trying to convince their overthinking counterparts that they did not have any bad intentions.

Emotional Symptoms

When a person overthinks, it is obvious that negative emotions take over. But not every unpleasant feeling is a sign of overthinking. So, what should you pay attention to if you suspect yourself of destructive thought patterns?

Constant Worry or Dread

Constant worries go hand in hand with doubt, and the dread often appears when the future seems too uncertain. If some past events cause emotional tension and fear of the future, which, in turn, brings constant overthinking, it would be helpful to reflect on these experiences, perhaps with a mental health professional. Self-help might not work in this case as the reasons for persistent negative emotions may lie too deep for you to reach by yourself. Lasting worry may result in low mental energy and physical tiredness.

Difficulty Letting Go of Thoughts

The feeling of getting stuck in an endless cycle of some thoughts that don't lead to any particular constructive outcomes might also be a symptom of overthinking. You may get plenty of advice saying, 'Just let go' or 'Forget about it,' but once you begin, it is so hard to stop focusing on the tiny negative details and fearful potential outcomes. It is like some kind of obsession when it feels impossible to stop, like you have already lost control over your own thoughts. If you notice such an emotional rush and find it hard to put it down, it might be a sign of overthinking.

Physical Effects of Overthinking

It is not only mental health issues that arise together with overthinking; some physical health problems may appear, too. They, however, can be signs of some other mental health conditions, so it is important to view the whole picture when you suspect overthinking in yourself but want to keep your well-being.

Insomnia and Restlessness

Difficulty falling asleep is tightly connected to the phenomenon we just described. You can feel so stressed out that it might seem impossible to let go of the repetitive thoughts about some negative past experiences or create a positive scenario for your future.

Overthinking causes stress, and stress, in turn, leads to insomnia and other sleep disturbances. Research suggests that adults with lower reported stress levels sleep more hours a night than adults with higher reported stress levels do (7.1 hours and 6.2 hours respectively).

Stress-Related Illnesses

Chronic stress and maladaptive thought patterns can contribute to the development of certain physical conditions.

If you know that you have the tendency to overanalyze and pay too much attention to minor events, here are the physical symptoms you might want to be aware of:

muscle tension;
high blood pressure;
digestive issues;
tension headaches;
rapid heartbeat;
difficulty breathing;
chest pain.

There can be more, and if the habit of negative thinking becomes constant and strong, it might result in stress-related health issues like:

heart disease;
hypertension;
obesity;
asthma;
type II diabetes;
Alzheimer's disease.

Even premature death can be a result of prolonged stress!

These are some strong reasons to manage your thinking habits and try breaking free from unhealthy mental patterns.

How to Differentiate Overthinking from Healthy Reflection

Surely, not every negative thought that crosses your mind is excessive. We may experience not-so-good feelings occasionally and process some past mistakes in our heads. The analytical process might take some time, so don't believe those who claim you are an overthinker if you take longer than them to mentally inspect what seems important to you.

However, there is a tipping point where reflection stops being productive and turns into overwhelming overthinking. There are a few things to notice if you want to catch your overthinking at the very beginning:

You realize the things you worry about are not real. Perhaps they haven't happened yet, or maybe they are not even likely to happen, but you feel so stressed over the future that you try to get yourself ready for the craziest scenarios.
You get stuck on the things you don't have control over. There are things, people, and situations we can't manage. You have to consider this fact when choosing the acting plan or estimating how much you can do. No matter how much you think about it, if it is out of your influence, it is not worth your mental effort.
You don't act at all. It is only thinking that is stealing all of your time, and the active phase never begins. You are constantly in your head, and it does not go beyond the theoretical.

Self-Assessment Tools

Is there a way to recognize if second-guessing has become your bad habit? Surely, there is. Moreover, you don't need to rush and seek professional help right away. Tiny self-help strategies can give a start to your healing journey.

Tip 1. Journal

You have probably heard this advice dozens of times on different occasions, but it really is a working tool in many cases. Try to write down your intrusive thoughts, especially when you feel extreme tension and worry. With time, it will be easier for you to spot the thinking patterns you tend to follow in stressful situations. When you finally discover what you are dealing with, it will be much simpler to break the habit.

Tip 2. Take psychological tests

There are plenty of questionnaires and tests online that help you see how you think. The main benefit of this method is that you get the questions you might never ask yourself. Many of these tests are made up by mental health professionals, so if you pick the trusted platforms, you are quite likely to get a very accurate result and get a good chance to overcome overthinking soon.

Summing Up

Overthinking can be a real obstacle on the way to a happy and content life. An overactive mind can put you in more stress than you would naturally have, and it's true. Still, an effective treatment for this begins with simple actions anyone can perform: listen to yourself, be curious, ask more questions, and, what's most important, be honest with yourself.

No potential wrong decision or a past mistake has to keep you stuck. Learn a way to break free from the endless cycle of worry and second-guessing because it's real, and you can do it.

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