Are you an overthinker?

Do you find yourself going over and over negative experiences that have happened, or worrying about what could happen in the future? Perhaps you analyse everything you said or did in case you’ve upset somebody, or in case others judge you for it?

This analysis of situations and ruminating on negative thoughts and feelings can be exhausting. Some people become especially caught up in what others think, or feel responsible for other people’s reactions, which can keep the cycle going.

Jenny was a client of mine, and her mind used to continuously buzz and whirr with her own overthinking. She would constantly focus on the past and the various wrongs she believed had been done to her, as well as worrying about what that meant people thought of her.

This overthinking and analysing meant she found life incredibly difficult and exhausting, and she often found it hard to make decisions or find solutions to her problems.

Together, we worked out the situations and triggers causing her overthinking and developed some strategies to help her quieten her mind.

Jenny still worries and has negative thoughts, but she also knows how not to engage with them and let them go and, as a result, she is much more relaxed and happy.

How to manage overthinking

Here are some ideas to help you if you recognise yourself as an overthinker:

• Accept that these negative thoughts will come and, instead of engaging with them, distract yourself with something that gives you a small positive emotion.
• If you’re already feeling down or negative, you are more likely to overthink and get stressed. So if you feel like this, try to avoid making big decisions until your thinking is clearer.
• Write it down. This will allow you to get your thinking out, and it’s also very helpful if you can write possible solutions.
• Set aside time to overthink later in the day and park your concerns until then. When you get to that time, some of your worries may already be resolved.
• Rather than analysing a situation, imagine yourself in a helicopter above the experience. Is your perception of it still the same?