Writer: Dima Hassanein
Editor: Abdulelah Ba Tarfi
The same thing replays over and over through my head. Every single detail of every single conversation. What could I have said to make things better? Why did I say that? How did I not think before speaking? All these questions run through an overthinker’s mind multiple times through the day. The situation might have gone perfectly fine, and it is most likely that the other person who was part of the conversation forgot about the whole thing. While an overthinker might be aware of that, he or she isn’t convinced and still worries constantly.
Is it possible for a person to stop overthinking? There are multiple strategies that could help a person stop overthinking. Some might not be effective for everyone, but it is nearly impossible for a person to completely stop overthinking for good. According to Tony Robbins, a life coach and an author, in order to stop overthinking you must let go of your past, focus on the present, learn how to control your emotions, understand what you can change next time, etc. These strategies are not guaranteed to help a person completely stop overthinking, but it is likely that they will somehow assist in the process.
Why we overthink and the problems that come along with it. Stress, fear, anxiety, and depression are all possible reasons. The stress and fear of what others might think of you leads you to repeatedly think of a situation. Even though the conversation might have happened years ago, you can still have that question going through your mind; why did I do that? In some extreme cases, overthinking can lead to unstable mental health and insanity. The pressure that is put on the brain causes the brain to stress itself and repeatedly and unhealthily think.
Overthinking can become a skill. Overthinking isn’t just about the past, but also about the future or present. A person could keep thinking about what could possibly go wrong in the future or what is currently happening around them. While fear and anxiety are two reasons of why we overthink, they could also become a result. This means that if you overthink, it is possible that you will come out with anxiety and fear of what is going to happen. While overthinking is expressed as a negative thing, it could also be a positive thing. Overthinkers tend to analyze situations really well and tend to take good decisions. if you can’t stop overthinking, you should start considering it as a skill and try to utilize that skill. So in the end, it’s not all that bad.
