How To Stop Overthinking: 5 Tips For Overthinkers

Thinking is such a useful habit so it’s pretty ironic that overthinking is usually negative.

What is overthinking?

Overthinking can mean constantly considering bad scenarios, obsessing over the past and ruminating about sources of anxiety. In moderation, these habits don’t have to be negatives – they can be useful. However, when they get out of hand it becomes overthinking, which is a maladaptive trait.

How to tell if you are an overthinker

A good rule of thumb to determine if you are an overthinker is to simply consider if your thoughts about the past, present or future take up too much time and/or get out of hand in how extreme they are. If they do, you are an overthinker. If your mistakes, the things you said, and the possibilities you might face constantly occupy your mind then you should be considering yourself an overthinker.

There is nothing wrong with being an overthinker. This trait simply means you have too much of an otherwise good thing that could be beneficial to you in moderation. But, if you are an overthinker, read on to learn some ways to cope.

What to do if you are an overthinker

If you have determined this is a problem then here are some tips to cope. These are 5 ways to stop being an overthinker.

1. Separate yourself from your thoughts (in moderation)

If ever you are stuck with vicious thoughts popping up in your mind consider treating them as separate from yourself. Pretend that your thoughts are not you but instead an annoying neighbor living in your head who brings this stuff to your attention. Treat them as something you have no part in and disconnect yourself from them.

Don’t do this in excess so as to avoid becoming overly disconnected from reality. But doing this once in a while can help create a rift between you and your thoughts. Ignore this annoying neighbor (your thoughts) and allow yourself to carry on with your life.

2. Realize not everything you think is true

In all seriousness many of the things people fear in excess are simply low likelihood. Many of the “mistakes” people overthink were likely looked over or ignored by others and/or weren’t even that bad. This isn’t the case for everything, however it does apply to many cases.

Overthinking often just creates improbable fears or exaggerates unimportant memories. Not everything you think is true. It’s important to understand this because it can help decrease the emotions attached to overthinking which make it so frustrating.

3. Distract yourself with healthy habits

Try doing something fun. Try occupying your mind with something entertaining or useful rather than negative thoughts. This can help steer your mental energy away from thoughts induced by overthinking and shift it towards something else. Watch a movie, watch a documentary, read some articles online, play video games or do whatever else other than overthinking. Just be sure not to distract yourself with unhealthy habits – make sure your distractions are good for you.

4. Use overthinking to your benefit

Overthinking is just too much of a good thing. Thinking can be great for you if you use it the right way. To put it simply, use the energy expended for overthinking to imply think useful thoughts. One way to benefit from this is by using your time to think of something useful for yourself or the world around you.

Consider using overthinking to address negative thoughts. For example, say your overthinking led you to a worst-case scenario that scares you. Don’t obsess over it and let it unsettle you. Instead, overthink yourself a solution – think of ways to deal with problems rather than focusing on them. You might not always find a solution but trying to is a better use of your time.

5. Use your willpower to stop

If you find yourself going down a vicious thought cycle, step in with your willpower and stop it. Scream “stop” inside your head and consider envisioning a stop sign. Immediately switch to doing or focusing on something else. You don’t have to feel like every thought has to be under your control (i.e. some things may just “pop up” in your head). At least try, though, to halt any unwanted thoughts by your own effort. If they do insist on running their course, let them but don’t get into a vicious cycle.