how to stop overthinking?

 Overthinking is exhausting. Analysis paralysis is one of the main problems of our time. 

 Overthinking is one of the main reasons we feel frustrated and low on energy in our daily lives. Analyzing a situation and weighing the pros and cons is necessary and healthy when making good decisions. However, we often go over it in our heads more than necessary without reaching a concrete conclusion or solution.

Overthinking is exhausting. Analysis paralysis is one of the main problems of our time. Overthinking is one of the main reasons we feel frustrated and low on energy in our daily lives. 

Analyzing a situation and weighing the pros and cons is necessary and healthy when it comes to making good decisions. 

However, we often go over it in our heads more than necessary without reaching a concrete conclusion or solution. What's more, we sometimes jump, without pausing, from one argument to another that contradicts each other or we quickly shift from one emotion to another. For example, we go from feeling excited about a new job opportunity to listing everything that could go wrong or projecting possible unfavorable scenarios. So, in most cases, when we overthink, we go from showing positive emotions to negative ones like guilt or fear. Research shows that overanalyzing things has a series of negative effects on our bodies: it raises cortisol levels (the stress hormone), reduces creativity, clouds judgment, and impedes decision-making. However, there are ways to stop overthinking. In this article, we'll look at the best tips for stopping overthinking, backed by psychology.

What is the pattern of overthinking?

Overthinking is common; however, this doesn't necessarily mean it's positive. Overthinking manifests itself primarily in two ways: rumination (repetitive negative thoughts with no real solution) and projection (making often catastrophic predictions about the future). 

People who overthink don't just use words to conjure up their thoughts. They may also imagine situations and events (usually catastrophic ones); for example, they may imagine their car going off the road or losing their job. 

Regardless of how they do it, the habit of overthinking and overthinking ultimately prevents them from doing anything productive.

 Furthermore, excessive thinking can have negative consequences for our mental health. A study conducted by Harvard University recently demonstrated that excessive brain activity is responsible for the depletion of an essential protein in our body. This means that excessive thinking can reduce our life expectancy.

 There are also important psychological consequences of overthinking. For example, "ruminating"—repetitive thoughts—can lead to anxiety or depression, binge eating, and, in more severe cases, self-harm. 

 Overthinking in its most severe form (when it manifests itself more intensely than usual) is often a symptom of an underlying condition that needs to be addressed. Due to our behavioral patterns, we all overthink from time to time; in fact, worrying is part of the human condition. However, we weren't born overthinking; it's a result of our development. Both good and bad behavioral patterns are learned through life experiences over time. And just as we can learn them, we can also unlearn these harmful patterns by changing our behavioral habits.

Guidelines to follow to stop overthinking.

 Before learning how to stop overthinking, you need to understand where the problem stems from. Sometimes, overthinking is a consequence of a lack of confidence, and it can be rooted in certain mental health conditions such as anxiety or depression. If this is the case, it's essential to consult a healthcare professional to address the problem. 

 In some cases, overthinking only appears when making a complicated decision or when faced with certain insecurities. Although, initially, thoroughly analyzing complex situations is a good way to reach satisfactory solutions or conclusions, overanalyzing is not part of rational thinking, as it doesn't respond to any specific goal; it's simply a way to delay a decision.

 Whatever the reason for overthinking, there are various techniques that can help alleviate the stress caused by excessive brain activity. One of the first questions we should ask ourselves is: "Why do I overthink things so much?" And depending on our answer, we should explore different solutions that will allow us to change this pattern of behavior. However, this is not an easy task, so here we list a series of tips to help you achieve it.

1. Identify our harmful patterns.

 As we've seen, when we worry excessively or ruminate on problems for too long, our thought processes can become destructive. This is often caused by negative thinking patterns that manifest when people are under stress or experiencing conflict (external or internal). Two of the most common harmful patterns are rumination and projection. 

 Rumination is the act of thinking continuously and inconclusively about pessimistic or dark topics. This type of behavior can cause people to isolate themselves and even become depressed. Rumination is particularly common in perfectionists, although anyone can experience it. 

 Projection is similar to rumination, but it is future-focused: it involves anticipating that something will go wrong. These negative thought patterns are deeply related to limiting beliefs and past experiences.

2. Change the story we tell ourselves.

 The stories we tell ourselves about who we are have a significant impact on our lives. But the key question is whether these stories hold us back or allow us to move forward. Overthinking causes us to develop a whole series of self-statements, such as "I've always been an insecure person" or "I'm more anxious than others." 

 These limiting beliefs can be very difficult to change if we never ask ourselves the right questions, such as: "Why do I overthink things so much?" or "Why do I worry so much about making mistakes?" To overcome these thoughts about ourselves—which keep us trapped—we must first identify them. Then, every time we find ourselves repeating one of those old stories, we must try to replace it with a positive one, such as "I am able to control my emotions." By changing the story we tell ourselves, we can change our mindset.

3. Let go of the past.

 Typically, people with a tendency to overthink focus a lot of energy on the past, thinking about what could have been or should have been.

 However, these thoughts contribute nothing useful (what's done is done). The only thing we can change about the past is how we interpret it. Letting go of the past allows us to significantly change our story. This prevents bad experiences from controlling our present emotions and mistakes from influencing future decisions. Furthermore, forgiving others and reconciling with our past also allows us to let go of any repressed anger or bitterness.

4. Focus on the present moment.

 One of the most effective ways to avoid rumination and excessive worry about the future is to learn to live in the present moment. 

 However, most people are unable to do this. Being aware of the present moment requires constant focus. What does the world around us look and sound like? What are we grateful for? By practicing daily rituals like meditation and mindful breathing, we can gradually learn to live in the present instead of worrying about the future. Numerous studies have demonstrated the power of meditation on our brains and the reduction of stress levels.

5. Accept our emotions.

 Excessive worry is usually caused by facing some type of fear, for example, feeling that situations are beyond our control or that we don't have the life we want. 

 Contrary to what most people believe, living in the present moment doesn't mean burying our negative emotions, but rather addressing them. Therefore, we need to learn to identify the causes of our emotions, and the first step is recognizing them. Only when we are able to accept our feelings, even the worst ones, will we be able to deal with them appropriately.

6. Focus on solutions.

 We must remember that no one controls our lives but ourselves.

 Focusing on solutions involves identifying the problems in our lives that cause us stress and anxiety, and once we do, working to solve them instead of dwelling on them endlessly. Only by taking control of our lives can we finally stop overthinking. For example, if our negative thoughts are related to stress from work, we may need to consider changing companies or careers.

 7. Don't let yourself be carried away by negative feelings.

 As we've seen, overthinking can cause us to get stuck and be unable to make decisions. This often occurs due to the fear of making the wrong decision.

 When this happens, it's important to notice whether this feeling is rational or stems from unjustified fear.

 To resolve this, we can focus on our body, breathe deeply, and imagine ourselves making the decision. Doing this is a way to understand what feeling is guiding our behavior and what the best way to move forward is.

In conclusion.

 By learning to live in the present instead of overthinking, we can significantly improve our happiness and, above all, our peace of mind.

 To achieve this, we must remember that life isn't something that happens to us without our being able to act; this means that even negative emotions can lead to positive outcomes. By treating these emotions as part of our growth, we can make the most of them.