Overthinking is the action or habit of excessively and unnecessarily thinking about an issue, situation, or event.
This article is professionally consulted by Master Vuong Nguyen Toan Thien, Clinical Director of the Lumos Counseling and Psychological Therapy Center.
Causes
There are many causes of overthinking.
The causes of overthinking may include the following factors:
– Stress and anxiety:
- Continuous feelings of stress and anxiety can make individuals prone to the habit of overthinking.
- People with high levels of anxiety often tend to think excessively about negative situations or bad future scenarios.
- The causes of these feelings of stress and anxiety may stem from personal psychological difficulties.
– Insecurity and lack of confidence:
- Individuals who lack confidence often doubt and question themselves, raising many questions about their choices and decisions.
- This can lead to overthinking as they seek certainty in their decisions and actions.
– Fear and need for control:
- Some individuals may fear uncertainty and want to control every situation.
- They may easily get caught up in overthinking to try to predict and prepare for every possible outcome.
– Over-analysis:
- This can be a factor that increases the likelihood of getting caught in overthinking, particularly in individuals with high analytical tendencies or exceptional analytical skills.
- They may overly focus on details that others overlook.
– Additionally, surrounding environments such as work pressure, complex social relationships, or difficult events can exacerbate overthinking. Overthinking can also become a habit if individuals lack effective ways to manage stress and relieve tension.
In summary, there are many causes of overthinking, including personal psychological traits, surrounding environments, and how a person self-manages and regulates themselves.
Symptoms and Signs
- Individuals affected by overthinking often tend to analyze, think, and worry excessively about minor details, making the initial issue more complex than it actually is.
- Overthinking often accompanies anxiety, stress, and an inability to solve problems effectively.
- Those who tend to overthink often cannot break free from a cycle of negative or unnecessary thoughts, and sometimes they cannot control the confusion or stress caused by these thoughts. The result can lead to decreased concentration, increased stress, and affect overall mental health.
Impacts
Overthinking seriously affects patients.
Overthinking can seriously impact both the individual and those around them. Here are some key effects:
– On the individual:
- Stress and anxiety:
- Overthinking is often accompanied by continuous feelings of stress and anxiety about issues, leading to increased stress levels.
- This can cause symptoms such as headaches, digestive disorders, or decreased sleep quality.
- Insomnia and health deterioration: Excessive thinking can lead to insomnia or health issues due to prolonged stress.
- Decreased concentration and decision-making ability: Overthinking diminishes the ability to focus effectively on work and complicates decision-making, as affected individuals cannot stop thinking and analyzing.
- Reduced productivity and confidence: Spending excessive time and energy on unnecessary thoughts can result in lower work performance and feelings of inadequacy in work and life.
- Feelings of loneliness and disconnection: Overthinking can make individuals feel isolated as they tend to get trapped in their thoughts and cannot share what they are experiencing with others.
– On those around them:
- Increased stress and discomfort: Those around individuals struggling with overthinking may feel stressed and uncomfortable due to the patient’s frequent anxiety and negative thoughts.
- Feelings of helplessness and misunderstanding: Family and friends of the affected individual may feel helpless as they do not know how to help and support effectively when the individual is in an overthinking state.
- Loss of connection and communication: Overthinking can lead to a loss of connection with those around them as the individual may not focus on communication and relationships.
Ways to Treat and Improve
Overthinking is a complex issue that can be treated and alleviated through the following methods:
– Mindfulness:
- This is a technique that focuses on the present in an accepting and non-judgmental manner.
- Mindfulness helps individuals with overthinking recognize and stop when they begin to excessively think about the past or future.
- Techniques such as slow breathing, paying attention to bodily sensations, and focusing on daily activities can help reduce excessive thoughts.
– Learning to manage stress: Learning stress management skills such as exercise, yoga, body relaxation techniques, or other stress relief skills can help reduce stress and anxiety, thus decreasing the occurrence of overthinking.
– Improving problem-solving skills: Developing problem-solving skills to handle situations more effectively can help reduce confusion and anxiety when facing challenges and problems.
– Adjusting thought patterns:
- Learning to recognize and adjust negative or unnecessary thoughts.
- This may include distinguishing between constructive thoughts and those leading to unnecessary anxiety.
– Changing environments and technology habits: Minimizing screen time and social media usage, especially in the evening before bedtime, can reduce stimulating factors that cause overthinking.
– Focusing on positive and enjoyable activities: Actively engaging in activities that you enjoy and that are positive, such as sports, arts, reading, or meeting friends, can help reduce negative thoughts and enhance feelings of happiness.
– Seeking support from professionals:
- If overthinking affects quality of life and mental health, seeking support from a mental health professional, such as a psychologist or counselor, can be very beneficial.
- These professionals can provide necessary tools and skills and accompany the individual in understanding themselves better while improving their life and mental state.
In conclusion, each individual will have their own suitable methods to alleviate overthinking and improve mental health. The first important step is to recognize and act to begin enhancing the quality of life.
