Buzz
My first encounter with the 'most vivid' overthinking episode was at the age of 19 while experimenting with stimulants. In contrast to the euphoric emotions of the previous night, the next day, my mind was tormented by thoughts like: What did I do wrong? Is Nam not playing fair? Does Linh still like me? Where did my money go? Studies are in a mess. If this continues, where will my future lead?
If you've ever dealt with those three 'brain-damaging' things, you know your thoughts can lead you anywhere.
The second unmistakable instance was when I shouldered a heavy, high-interest loan just a year or two later. Every day, I hoped to scrape together some money to pay the interest. Eating poorly, sleeping restlessly, nights squeezing my head, and waking up with the same worries. In some of the toughest moments, I even contemplated ending my life, but fortunately, 'I wasn't that foolish yet.' Reflecting on it, that was the worst period of my life, and I never want to live like that again!
So, what exactly is overthinking? Here's what you need to know to avoid facing the 'miseries' like I did.
2. Signs You're Overthinking Too Much
3. What Leads to Overthinking?
4. Classifying Different Types of Overthinking
5. The Adverse Effects of Overthinking
6. How to Overcome Overthinking?
7. Concluding Thoughts on Overthinking
Understanding Overthinking
What does overthinking mean?
So, what is the essence of overthinking? Overthinking, or engaging in overthinking actions, can be understood as the state of excessively pondering. You dedicate an excessive amount of time and energy overthinking situations. It's not just regular, streamlined thinking. Instead, you tend to magnify issues, unnecessarily complicating situations.
For instance, when heading out on a date, you worry that the black roots in your hair are too prominent. And because they don't match the dyed color of your hair, you fear the other person will no longer like you.
People prone to overthinking tend to obsess about things in the past and in the future. They analyze and contemplate every aspect of the issue, even the smallest details. What's worse, they often come up with scenarios and situations that are UNREALISTIC or may never happen. And then comes the stress, anxiety, loss of appetite, and sleepless nights.
Someone once told me they are currently in debt of 30 million. They feel hopeless, not wanting to live, thinking that this 30 million debt will block their path in life. Worried that they will never be able to repay it in this lifetime. Their parents would be disappointed, and they wouldn't be able to focus on work anymore. I said: 'If you knew the debts of all the people you meet on the street, you would see that your debt is like a fine strand of hair.'
Signs You're Overthinking
Out of the 10 million overthinking symptoms below, if you experience over 5 million symptoms, it could be understood as having overthinking syndrome.
- Excessive worry about trivial or unworthy issues. Or worrying about everything.
- Difficulty in focusing, even on important, urgent tasks or deadlines.
- Overthinking about the past and future, often situations beyond change in the past and unlikely scenarios in the future.
- Your mind creates too many imaginary scripts. When it comes to anxiety-inducing scripts, you're the best scriptwriter.
- Insomnia or only getting 2-3 hours of sleep due to chasing thoughts.
- Frequent mental tension due to overthinking.
- Frequently self-assessing in a negative light.
- Rapid mood swings, transitioning quickly from joy to anxiety, stress, and lingering in the latter state longer.
- Always feeling overloaded, running everything in a weary manner.
- Difficulty making decisions because of conflicting thoughts.
That's a sign you're overthinking. So, what causes overthinking?
What Leads to Overthinking?
There are numerous reasons why you fall into the overthinking syndrome. Below are some causes.
Lack of Confidence: In situations, everyone has multiple thoughts. But if you trust in your most assertive thought, overthinking won't occur. Conversely, if you lack confidence, questioning your abilities excessively will lead to overthinking. That's why, when starting a conversation with a girl, I often advise counting from 1 to 3. Counting to 3 means you have to start the conversation. Otherwise, your mind will drown in a multitude of thoughts without action.
Information Overload: In a society overloaded with information, you hear one person saying this, another saying that, and you think differently. You don't know what's right, so you overthink.
Emotional Wounds: When you've been hurt by something, it's challenging to be optimistic in similar situations in the future. Many who have been mistreated by a girlfriend, losing trust in women, find themselves overthinking.
Lack of Problem-Solving Mindset: There are two types of people in this world. One, when a problem arises, they just dwell on thoughts. These are the overthinkers. The second type is those who always seek solutions to problems. Both types think, but the second type, having resolved the issue, won't be bothered by thoughts anymore. The first type, however, continues overthinking because the problem remains unresolved.
Classifying Different Types of Overthinking
Here are 9 types of overthinking commonly encountered in our daily lives.
- Overthinking about the past.
- Overthinking about the future.
- Perfectionism thinking.
- Social comparison thinking, worrying about how others perceive you.
- Overthinking due to indecision.
- Catastrophic thinking. As mentioned, you often create the worst and ugliest scenarios for your situation.
- Overthinking regrets and obsessions from the past.
- Excessive comparison. You're compelled to compare yourself with others or their success.
- Overthinking due to information overload.
The Adverse Effects of Overthinking?
Prolonged overthinking will lead to very detrimental effects on your psyche, mentality, and health. Here are some typical adverse effects.
How to Overcome Overthinking?
To be honest, I used to be an overthinker. In my youth, I overthought about various things. Here's how I tackled it. Currently, out of the 9 types of overthinking, I only struggle with one—perfectionist thinking, which I can't let go of. Sometimes, it consumes a lot of my time. For example, writing a book like 'Decoding the Mystery of the Feminine' might take up to a year. Creating a course like 'Decoding Practical Message Interpretation' or 'Decoding Conversations in Action' also takes over a year. It may slow down my 'speed,' but it also contributes to thoroughness in execution. 50% bad, 50% good.
Okay, here's how I overcome it. Most of these are also expert advice.
If it's a problem, it needs to be addressed.
Lights out when the oil runs out, people stop thinking when lying down. But if it's a problem, you'll keep thinking about it if the issue isn't resolved.
For instance, my car recently had a steering rack failure, and the replacement cost was quite high, in the tens of millions. The warranty had expired, and insurance naturally didn't cover it. Regretting the expense, I just left the car somewhere. Do you know what happened? During that month, I couldn't sleep well at night, my mind was always racing. I constantly questioned why my steering rack failed. Why doesn't it happen to others? I couldn't accept the truth that I ended up like this due to my bad luck. Every taxi ride, every task at work, every moment of rest, I kept thinking. Essentially, I thought about it 24/7, and it was always uncomfortable and negative feelings.
Guess what, I only stopped thinking when the problem was resolved. Once I got a new steering rack, I almost had no thoughts at all. Overthinking was resolved at this point.
Remember, if it's a problem, it needs to be addressed. That's the most important thing!
What is the cause of overthinking?
Try to delve into memories and attempt to discover the cause of your overthinking. When you know the cause, you can find the way to fix it.
For example, if you often worry that others think you're not good, not beautiful, not professional, or something else, it's simply a case of social overthinking. When you know the cause like this, you'll understand it's not about having issues with being good, beautiful, or professional... it's just overthinking about that specific issue. And that's not good. It needs to be eliminated as soon as possible.
Body movement
There are a few distinct moments when a guy like me realizes he's 'stopped overthinking.'
First is when passionately playing video games.
Second is when enjoying something delicious.
Third is when enjoying a drink.
And fourth is through physical activity.
If you apply the first three, it just makes you temporarily forget everything, but in reality, you end up thinking more and worse afterward. Only the fourth way helps you comprehensively.
Exercise, play sports, hit the gym. It's a great way not only to interrupt overthinking but also to have more positive thoughts to compensate for the excessive thinking. Mostly the negative thoughts you had before.
Reevaluate thoughts
Another method I often use to counter overthinking is to reevaluate my thoughts.
When I notice myself overthinking something, where thoughts keep repeating throughout the day. I will reevaluate the thoughts. I ask myself, 'Is this situation worth worrying about?' or 'Is this something worth being concerned about?'
If the answer is YES. I will find a solution to address the issue.
If the answer is NO. I will dismiss those thoughts to focus on the remaining quality aspects of life.
Meet with experts
I believe with the four methods above, 90% of those who overthink have found solutions and dismantled their overthinking syndrome.
However, if you belong to the remaining 10%, with more severe overthinking symptoms affecting your life significantly. At this point, seeking advice from an expert or doctor is optimal. Sometimes, using medication or therapy during this time may be the most effective solution.
Conclusion on overthinking
Overthinking, or excessive thinking, can, at a normal level, sometimes bring some benefits. For instance, analyzing issues, perceiving problems more insightfully, or finding the optimal solution for the situation at hand.
However, if you sink too deep into overthinking, it will adversely affect your life. Mental imbalance, health issues, emotional strain, as well as relationships and work, can be significantly impacted. Therefore, pay attention and address overthinking as early as possible.
Posted by: Đức Nguyễn
Keywords: Understanding Overthinking and Dealing with Mental and Emotional Turmoil
