Ever felt that you are lost in thinking after you have done or said something? Maybe you start thinking of old past issues or about what you said two days earlier. This happens very often, almost with all of us and we end up thinking about things that are not so important and at times hurt ourselves. 

Do you think that you are an overthinker? Read the article to know whether you are an Overthinker or not. Before that let's know what is overthinking.

What is overthinking and Who is an Overthinker?

Overthinking is not a process but a habit where you repeatedly think about the same thing. It is not a mental illness but can be a symptom of a different mental illness that is approaching you like anxiety, panic attack, or even depression. 

In this case, you keep on thinking about past issues, or what you said or how your behavior can hurt others, etc. The person who has this habit is called an Overthinker. Thinking about your words and actions is good but thinking too much is not good. Aa said excess of anything is harmful to life and body.

5 Signs That You Are Overthinking

Overthinking is done by everyone but it is on a different level. Some do minor overthinking which is not harmful but some people think too much and even end up overthinking. Here are some symptoms of overthinking.

1. You Think a Lot After Saying Something

One of the major symptoms of overthinking is that, you are overthinking is that you think a lot after saying something. For example, after having a meeting with your friend or talking to a coworker you start thinking things like, 'did my words hurt him?', 'what might he/she be thinking when I said that?'. You end up thinking about your conversation the whole day. This is one of the common signs of overthinking.

2. You Become Very Anxious to Know Things After Someone Has Said I Want to Tell You Something

Don't we get curious when someone says I want to tell you something? This may be a sign of overthinking. When someone says that they want to tell you something then you become very anxious to know what it is and think about it the whole day. This is a sign of overthinking. When there is a scenario when your teacher has called you or your boss has called you then you start thinking and become anxious about what they have to tell you or will they scold you or why they have called you. 

3. You Have a Habit of Repeatedly Saying Sorry

Another of being an Overthinker is that you have the habit of repeatedly saying sorry even if it is not your mistake. If you are a person who again and again says sorry even when you are not at fault then it is a sign that you are overthinking. When you find yourself in an argument then you start thinking that it is your fault that the person is hurt and start saying sorry even when you are the one who is wronged and accused. You keep on thinking that you have hurt others and go on saying sorry again and again.

4. You Think a Lot at Night When You Need to Sleep

Are you the one who doesn't sleep at the time when you should and start thinking about what you did two years ago? Another common sign of overthinking is that it begins when it is the time you need to sleep. 12:00 a.m. is the peak time when overthinking begins and can continue up to 4 or 5 o'clock. Normally begins when everything is quiet and you are not busy and you think about issues that are no longer important or matter in your life. This can disturb your sleep cycle and cause you serious harm. Apart from that, overthinking can make you doubt your existence.

5. Imagining Worst Scenarios And Worrying About Them

Ever found yourself thinking about the future and measuring worst scenarios that actually cannot happen and worrying over it? This is one of the common signs of overthinking. You start thinking about your future like education or relationship and imagine the worst scenario that is hard to happen and start worrying, what if this happens and what will I do. You imagine things like what if my marriage is not a happy one even when you are not married yet. The thoughts can go up to the point where you start imagining your accidents or negative situations. This can cause stress and anxiety.

What Causes Overthinking?

There are many causes of overthinking. It can be being oversensitive, worrying about others' feelings, or stress. We often overthink things in our daily life and this becomes our daily habit which can be harmful. Here we lay down three major causes of overthinking.

1. Stress

Stress is one of the major reasons for overthinking. Daily life issues, workload, workplace issues, relationship issues, or even in friendship there are instances where things might get tense. Increased workload and other issues can lead up to stress and cause overthinking. Even an argument with a co-worker can cause stress and lead to overthinking. You can also prefer stress management counseling for better result.

2. Self-doubt

Self-doubt is another cause of overthinking. Some people always doubt themselves and end up thinking about their decisions and actions. This leads them to overthink about what they have done in the past or what they are doing now and worry about it. A person who has self-doubt finds it difficult to do anything.

3. Being a Perfectionist

There are different types of people, one is the kind of being a perfectionist. They are the ones who want to keep everything in perfect order or line. A slight change in it can cause them to overthink and stress about it.

How Can an Overthinker Change Himself?

Prolonged overthinking can lead to a lot of issues in the future. It can be harmful to both your personal and professional life and cause major mental health issues. Let us tell you about how to control overthinking and how to stop overthinking.

1. Write Down What You Feel

First major step towards the treatment of overthinking is jotting down what you feel, that is, write down whatever comes to your mind as soon as you start thinking and feel worried. Writing down what you feel will make you think less and stop you from overthinking. This helps you keep a check on your thoughts and feelings and help you analyze which thoughts come to your mind repeatedly.

2. Try to Talk And Question Yourself

Once you start overthinking and recognize what thoughts are coming to your mind then start questioning yourself. Ask yourself, 'Why am I thinking this?, 'Is this something I can change, or is it out of my control?', 'Has this happened yet, if not why am I thinking about it?'. These questions will make you realize that you are thinking unnecessarily.

3. Don't Think of Things You Can't Change

Some things are in our hands and can change like your results. You can change it by putting in more effort. But there are things which are not under control like you can't control what others think and do. So stop worrying about what others think of you. It is not your job to worry about it.

Conclusion

Overthinking is a beatable habit which can bring wonderful changes in your lifestyle. Controlling overthinking or treatment of overthinking can save you from different mental health issues. By controlling overthinking you are helping yourself and saving your precious mind from stressing out. It is something you can control and change therefore start making a change.

FAQ'S

1. Why do people overthink?

There are many reasons why people overthink. Maybe they are too sensitive and worry a lot about what others think or say about them. There may be other reasons for approaching mental illness like depression, stress, or anxiety.

2. Should a person do overthinking a little bit?

One can think sometimes, thinking about your actions, behavior, and words is good. Doing self analysis is good but within a limit and not too much. 

3. How to stop overthinking?

There are many ways to stop overthinking like engaging in different activities, meditating, jotting down what you feel, focusing on the present, and questioning yourself like 'why am I thinking this?'

4. What can overthinking lead to?

Overthinking can lead to many different mental problems like sleep disorders, depression, anxiety, and stress issues, and make you doubt yourself.

5. Is overthinking good or bad?

Overthinking is not good. Thinking is good but not overthinking. Overthinkers can be sensitive and think before they say or do something but it can hurt them a lot and also make them more worried.

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