You have a million thoughts a day, but you don’t even notice them; you just believe them. We swim through our thoughts like a fish swims through water. We don’t even notice that the way we think colours our view of the world. Sometimes we notice thoughts we don’t like, and then we may not know what to do with them. We may also struggle to restrain them or get stuck in an endless loop of overthinking, obsessively worrying and struggling against thoughts. And that’s not any better as such constant struggling costs you your attention and energy. Worry can sometimes be productive. But such a trap of overthinking can land you in the quicksand of rumination that may make you even more stuck than before.
Hence, the key to being able to protect from the downward spiral of overthinking is to understand the difference between worry and rumination. This includes knowing where the tipping point lies between these two. More simply stated, worry may lead to solutions whereas constant rumination can lead to depression. To avoid this, it is very important to focus on what’s in your control and not what isn’t. Research shows that the simple act of naming your emotions can deliver a sense control. How we label them, and how we think about them, is one way we can always exert better control in much helpless situations. Finding the silver lining in the worst of scenarios promotes resiliency as well as assists to escape the mental trap of incessant negative thinking. That means, focusing on the opportunities for growth and change helps to stay unstuck and move ahead towards future.
It is observed that when worry is focused on solutions, the impending anxiety and overthinking diminishes. If we can’t stop worrying about a certain situation, focusing on the possible solutions helps us to keep our thoughts geared towards being more productive and assertive. Think what best you can do in this moment and tell yourself that “what will be will be” and focus more on acceptance and growth can be a good option as a solution.
Nonetheless, overthinking has been a topic of discussion for decades and is usually considered a starting point for anxiety and depression. But by learning how to let it go and changing our behaviour for better can certainly help to reduce the impact around it.