Overthinking

Overthinking. 

I don’t know if any of you ever had this issue. I’m starting to think it’s a medical one. But since i’ve been picking up topics on my Master Thesis lately - i figured i might as well read up on stuff and get my brain all educated and enlighten y’all ;) 

Now do you ever find it difficult to make decisions? Even the simple ones? Choosing things on a menu? Do you find yourself taking way too long or working through all possible scenarios of what might or might not happen? For some, this might take a whole new level - especially when it comes to social media. Overthinking uploading photos, what to comment & tweet, carefully constructing scenarios in your head. For some it’s easier, for some not. Overthinking presents itself in different ways and has different roots. From previous bad experiences or worry of being wrong, to fear of uncertainty - among the few from the big batch of crazy.

Overthinking might be considered a predisposition of the old. As kids, we approach things with enormous curiosity, being open to the outpour of information surrounding us. The more older we get, the more information we gather, the harder it becomes for us. In his book Paradox of Choice, Barry Schwartz gives us interesting insight in what it really means -  to have a choice, or excess of it.

Beware of excessive choice: choice overload can make you question the decisions you make before you even make them, it can set you up for unrealistically high expectations, and it can make you blame yourself for any and all failures. In the long run, this can lead to decision-making paralysis, anxiety, and perpetual stress. And, in a culture that tells us that there is no excuse for falling short of perfection when your options are limitless, too much choice can lead to clinical depression.

Add to this - the immense fear of being wrong, that was built in us from the education system or lack of support while growing up? Here you go. Now imagine waking up every day, having to constantly deal with you on your own as your worst enemy? 

When you are in a bad mood of some type - depressed, anxious, just altogether upset - your bad mood tends to trigger a cascade of thoughts associated with your mood. These thoughts may have nothing to do with the incident that put you into a bad mood in the first place, as when a poor job performance causes you to think about your aunt who died last year. - Nolen-Hoeksema

Some advice simply to: 

CHILL. RELAX. TAKE IT EASY AND DON’T STRESS YOURSELF OUT. 

I love that. Seriously. My all time most loved sentence that i will tattoo on my head for amusement purposes. If i’d get a penny for every time i’ve been told that and for the every time i could have switched my brain off with a remote control - oh well. 

But according to the miracles of Internet there are still some small baby steps you can follow in order to prolong your sanity. 

The Article from Lifehacker offers these 4 small steps, to improve your state. 

1) Take action now

2) Direct your attention elsewhere

3) Stop talking about it

4) Figure out why you are overthinking -> 

They also mention 4 RE-Ideas: relabelling the ideas that you are overthinking, reframing your experience, refocusing your attention on the part that matters and revaluing brain messages with the new information.  Sounds easy peasy. Let me go make myself a sandwich  and i'm gonna be right on it.

The WikiHOW article made me smile. It mostly gives you steps how to survive overthinking, realizing what a fucked up state of being that is :) (I feel like i found MY support group <3, i just don’t like that they said im not allowed to drink alcohol. Chill out peeps, will ya? ) Among tons of useless, came out a few useful steps:

1) Write everything down

2) Do not believe you have gone mad (LOVE THIS ONE!)

3) Do something that requires you to concentrate 

(Have you ever tried concentrating while somebody is hammering nails into your head?)

4) Think black 

5) Laugh at yourself 

The Article from The Mind Unleashed was the first thing to cheer me up thanks to Dr. Kelly Neff.

Many over-thinkers are lovely, intelligent, nurturing people who value relationships and care deeply for the people in their lives. Unfortunately, they often push away the very people that they are worrying about or seeking support and reassurance from, because they can become obsessive, anxious, depressed, negative and difficult to be around. This is not a switch in the brain that can be easily flipped off, but rather, a pattern from which it requires dedication and work to recover.
Under the first 2 steps Mind Unleashed asks you to accept that you are a mental nutcase and forgive yourself ;) Then follow these:

3) Breathe More
4) Talk Less
5) Get physical and get busy
6) Practice mindfulness aka living in the present moment
7) Surrender to the universe, while being reminded that 

8) Your thoughts create your reality

Real Simple also gives some interesting tips.

No matter what everyone might think - every day has 24 hours and in each and every one of those you have to make a conscious decision to be your friend instead of your enemy. So fasten your seatbealt, because you are kinda in this on your own and it seems like it’s gonna be a hell of a ride.