To Think, Or To Overthink.

 

Do you find yourself unable to work sometimes because of lack of motivation? The World

Health Organization defines mental health as “A state of well-being in which an individual

realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively,

and can make a contribution to his or her community.”. It is more than just the absence of

mental disorders and diseases. It isn’t just about avoiding current conditions but also looking

after ongoing wellness and happiness.

Overthinking is one such aspect that can be deteriorating to mental health as it is but can also

be a catalyst to various other problems as it perseveres. Overthinking as a habit can have a

definite impact on our mental and physical well-being. To overthink is to excessively monitor,

evaluate or attempt to control all types of thoughts. It is often an unconscious thought or

behavior that can be self-sabotaging and can create conflict for future goals.

Cortisol is a hormone secreted by the adrenal gland which is present on the top of the

kidneys. It is released directly into the hypothalamus. It is necessary for a variety of bodily

functions. Due to a rise in cortisol levels in the bloodstream, there is a rise in blood pressure,

which is why it is also known as the stress hormone. Usually, when the danger or stress trigger

passes, the levels of cortisol are reduced. However, in certain situations, the level of cortisol

could not decrease and can cause a variety of problems, one of them being overthinking.

While overthinking may seem like a common habit for overthinkers, it is a harmful habit

consisting of deteriorating mental and physical health. An overthinker may see it as a defense

mechanism. Thinking about the future and making changes in advance to prohibit any

inconvenience may seem like a healthy option.

Overthinking could lead to unhealthy thoughts such as worry, rumination, and obsession. It

could also cause mental fatigue. It leads to a series of thoughts that tires the mind and hinders

progressive thinking. It affects the productivity of a person and prohibits solutions to the problem

at hand. Overthinking affects your relationships and usually doesn’t allow you to form a genuine

bond with a person. It makes you feel guilty which could hurt you in the long run.

There are four steps to overcome overthinking. They are re-label, reattribute, refocus and

revalue. The first step in overcoming overthinking is to re-label your thoughts. It is to catch

yourself overthinking about a particular situation and then labeling your thought process as

overthinking. This process would help in recognizing that some of these thoughts are false

alarms with no justifiable means of proof. Overthinkers can often slip into a spiral of self-doubt

which could lead to low productivity which could further lead to overthinking. We know that

overthinking is a product of excess cortisol secreted and re-labeling helps us understand that

overthinking is not a choice but a result of a chemical reaction.

The next step is reattribution. It is to understand that overthinking is not in our control and that

it is due to chemical processes in our brain. It is to recognize that overthinking is due to a

biological imbalance in the body. Understanding that this is caused by an imbalance, can help

you move on.

Refocusing is the third step. It consists of recognizing the overthinking process and

refocusing on a different activity. For example, you could try switching to a hobby or work that

would help distract you from overthinking. When the thought first appears, you must relabel the

problem and understand you’re overthinking. You must then reattribute and understand that

 overthinking is a biological problem. And once those steps are complete, it is necessary to

refocus your attention on something that could be productive or an activity that makes you

happy. In the beginning, you could try momentarily delaying your thoughts by distracting yourself

and working to increase the time of the delay. It is also necessary to acknowledge your

behavior and appreciate that you managed to distract yourself. It is to recognize your efforts at

each step on your way to recovery. What could also help would be to keep a journal and speak

about how you refocused your thoughts. Make sure to encourage yourself by constantly

acknowledging your thoughts and reward yourself.

The 4th and final step is revaluing. The combined efforts of these three steps are much

greater than their individual parts. It's imperative to recognize that these thoughts are not who

you are. What is of importance is to anticipate and accept, is active revaluing. To anticipate is to

understand that the thoughts will come, and to accept is to acknowledge that these things will

happen and we need to learn to control them. It is necessary to understand that you do not

need to make the thought go away, but you do not need to pay attention to it either, revalue

overthinking as something that does not hold much value in your life.

People who overthink should learn to understand the intruding thoughts and resist taking

them at their face value. We have to recognize that these feelings mislead us and slowly and

gradually work on changing our responses to the thought process and resist the thoughts. We

have to remember that these thoughts intensify and overwhelm us and resort to the four steps

to overcome overthinking. When we learn to control these thoughts we learn how to take our life

back into control. True freedom lies along this path of a clarified perception of genuine

self-interest.

~ Dylan Dsa