Overthinking

Types of Overthinking

In the Past

This is when you think back about incidents that have already happened. Perhaps due to a mistake that made you regret the decisions that you made in the past. When you overthink about the past, usually what you are doing is ‘counterfactual thinking’. In other words, it is when we tend to create an alternative scenario that is contrary to what happened - like the usual “what if” and “if only” thoughts. It can become a problem if done excessively. In that case, it can make you feel regretful and can ruin your day.

About the Future

This is when you think about incidents that have not happened yet, and that is clearly out of your control. When you overthink about the future, you might think that what you are doing is preparing yourself for the future. But believe it or not, you probably are thinking about problems that do not even exist yet. This diverts your focus away from the solutions. It is important to remind yourself that it is not about predicting the future, but preparing for the future.

How to Identify Overthinking

To manage overthinking, it is important to know when you are overthinking. Here are some signs that you might be overthinking:

1. You cannot focus well.
2. You have repetitive thoughts.
3. You worry about the future unreasonably.
4. You ask everyone you know for advice.
5. You are indecisive.

Ways to Manage Overthinking

1. Recognise what you can and cannot control.

When you find yourself dwelling about the past, remind yourself to accept what has already happened and to use it as a lesson for you to grow as a person.

2. Schedule time to worry.

If we want to spend less time ruminating, simply trying not to think about it will not work. You can try to set a time (6pm-7pm) where you can allow yourself to think or worry freely.

3. Replace overthinking with self-reflection.

Rather than wasting your time and energy by overthinking, you can take actions that are beneficial for you • from problem-solving to preparing yourself for the thing that you are worried about.

4. Ask for help.

Remember that you do not have to go through this alone. Reaching out to people will help you to look at things from a different point of view and to work through your thoughts better.

5. Look at the bigger picture.

By looking at things from a different perspective, you will realize that the life-and-death problems that you faced in the past do not seem so big now. The same goes for a lot of things that you are facing today.

6. Take care of your mental health.

Overthinking and mental health are very much interlinked together. Try to refocus on self-compassion as beating yourself up over your past mistakes will not let you move forward.