When Does Overthinking Become a Problem?

Have you ever laid in bed at night replaying a moment from your day, something you said or did, maybe a decision you made?

Maybe you’ve felt worried about a relationship, work, school, or health concern. Worrying is common (and normal), but occasionally it reaches a point where it becomes too much.

There are several methods you can use to combat overthinking. First and foremost, it helps to find a therapist who “gets it,” and can support you in finding a more balanced approach to problem-solving and addressing life stressors, both big and small. At Your Journey Through, our therapists are trained in anxiety therapy and are highly skilled in helping you break negative thinking cycles.

What Qualifies as Overthinking?

Overthinking refers to ruminating over a certain topic or situation extensively, analyzing it, and having a hard time allowing your mind to focus on anything else. Everyone overthinks at some point, but it might be harder for some people not to let it affect their functioning or daily lives — this is where professional help comes in. 

While overthinking in and of itself is not a mental illness, it can play a role in the development and maintenance of mental health disorders such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, depression, social anxiety disorder (SAD), or obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD). Looking for more information on these specific mental disorders? Check out some of our other blogs that deep dive into these topics with specific symptoms and treatment options. No matter what you’re going through, we have resources for you!

“How Do I Know if I’m Overthinking?”

So, now that you know what overthinking is, how do you know if you fall into that category? Try thinking about your current thought patterns, inner dialog, and decision-making abilities. Do you find yourself falling into these common pitfalls of overthinking?

1) Your brain is always active:

• You lay awake at night, unable to drift to sleep, feeling that your brain is on overdrive. This inability to sleep then causes you to worry about how you’re going to feel in the morning, causing you to stress even more.

• Moments from the day or throughout your past come to mind out of nowhere, along with any negative feelings they caused you.

• You worry about situations you have not experienced yet and conversations you have not had - preparing for the worst-case scenario.

• You continually plan your dialogue or reaction to situations you expect to happen soon:

“If this happens, I should probably say…”

• You think of the future but only focus on the negative aspects or possibilities of it.

• You have experienced something traumatic causing you to incessantly think about it. You may feel as if you have no control over your environment after such an event.

2) You struggle to make decisions:

• You hesitate to make a decision without the approval or opinions of others

• You have an “all-or-nothing” ideology or perspective

• You have a fear of failure

• You don’t trust your thoughts or decisions

• You feel paralyzed when trying to make decisions

3) You second-guess yourself: 

• You worry if the decision you made was the right one or if you would have been better off choosing something else:

“I thought I made the right decision, but now I don’t know.” 

“Maybe I should’ve texted instead of called.”

“Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything.”

• “What if..?” is part of your daily vocabulary

• You feel anxious and insecure about your own decisions

• You are not content with your choices

4) You consistently experience these symptoms:

• Feeling unable to relax

• Feeling mentally drained

• Headaches

• Second-guessing your decisions

• Feeling anxious about decisions or situations

• Feeling regret, guilt, or dwelling on something from the past

• Worrying about the future

• Feeling restless

• Burnout

Constantly overthinking about every aspect of your life or even just a hyper-fixation on certain parts, can cause even the most mundane tasks or decisions to become exhausting. If stuck in this cycle, this may lead you to feel a sense of paralysis and anxiety.

Long-Term Impacts of Overthinking:

If you find yourself constantly overthinking and dealing with the symptoms listed above, you’ve likely found yourself in the chronic overthinking territory. Chronic overthinking can have several negative effects on a person's mental, emotional, and physical health. As mentioned before, overthinking itself is not a mental disorder, but if unchecked, it can lead to a multitude of other problems.

Here are some ways overthinking can spiral into other issues:

1. Anxiety and stress: Overthinking often leads to excessive worry, which can cause anxiety and stress. Chronic overthinkers may experience racing thoughts, palpitations, and a sense of dread, which can lead to physical symptoms such as headaches, muscle tension, and fatigue.

2. Insomnia: Overthinking can make it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep. Chronic overthinkers may lie in bed for hours, replaying conversations and events from the day, which can interfere with their ability to get the rest they need.

3. Depression: Overthinking can also lead to feelings of sadness and hopelessness. When a person is constantly analyzing and dissecting their thoughts and emotions, it can be easy to get trapped in a cycle of negativity and self-doubt.

4. Decreased productivity: Overthinking can also interfere with a person's ability to focus and complete tasks. When a person is constantly distracted by their thoughts, they may have trouble staying on task and meeting deadlines.

5. Relationship problems: Overthinking can also impact a person's relationships. Chronic overthinkers may have trouble communicating effectively, as they may be too focused on their own thoughts and feelings to listen to others.

Overall, chronic overthinking can have a significant impact on a person's quality of life. If you find that you are overthinking frequently, it may be helpful to speak with a mental health professional who can provide support and guidance.

How To Stop Overthinking:

The constant cycle of overthinking can feel absolutely debilitating and may impact your quality of life, but thankfully, that’s not where the story ends. There are many small reframing techniques you can implement in your life to combat some of those paralyzing thought cycles.

• Acknowledge the situation, learn to recognize the moment you start to second-guess yourself, and see if there are common triggers that cause it.

  • Recognizing these triggers can help you prepare for (or avoid when necessary) the situations that continually cause you distress.

  • Knowing your triggers can also be very helpful in therapy — it gives you a good starting point to work from.

• Realize there is often not a singular right answer/choice.

• If you struggle to make decisions, put more time into researching your options/facts. Sometimes simply knowing more information can make you feel more confident in yourself and your ability to choose.

• Accept failure. Failing is a natural human experience, it means we learn from that situation or decision and we keep growing.

  • The key to this, though, is learning. Learning is an active choice, so try to actively reframe “failures” as an opportunity for you to grow as a person.

• Learn meditation techniques and include them in your daily schedule. This could include breathing exercises, positive affirmations, staying present, journaling, etc.

• Acknowledge and celebrate your successes.

• Learn how to reframe your negative thoughts — Often, there is a more positive alternative to persistent, negative thoughts.

  • Instead of “I need to clean my room. I’m so messy,” reframe this thought pattern to “I want to clean my room. I deserve to have a clean place to live.”

  • Instead of “I hate my body… I need to work out,” try to shift this to “I want to work out, I deserve to have a healthy body.”

• Treat yourself with kindness and compassion.

It might seem that these steps are easier said than done, but it’s important to take a first step, even if it’s small. It’s also important to remember that you are not alone. Whether through the help of a partner, friends, family, or a therapist, there is always someone willing and wanting to help. If you feel that you can’t take these steps alone, consider talking to one of our licensed therapists.

Therapy for Anxiety in Raleigh, NC

As licensed and experienced therapists, we’ve found that it is essential to foster an environment that feels supportive, comfortable, and collaborative. At Your Journey Through, we utilize both evidence-based practices and creative therapeutic approaches, with an understanding that counseling is not “one-size fits all.”  

Together we will explore your experiences, behaviors, and beliefs. With the benefit of fresh insight, you will be able to identify patterns that are holding you back from health and happiness while gaining the strength and strategies to overcome them.

Whether in person or virtual, we have options for you! Book a session to take the next step in your mental health journey.