Questions To Ask Yourself If You’re Overthinking

When someone is stuck overthinking, the cycle can feel vicious. Overthinking can occupy our minds with racing thoughts about topics both big and small.

With overthinking even little details can be overanalyzed and turned into sources of stress.

Overthinking may seem hard to control but there are steps you can take to control overthinking, mitigate the effects it has on your life and possibly even eliminate it.

If you find yourself overthinking, start off by taking a step back (mentally) and pausing. Calm yourself down and ask yourself these questions to help control or redirect your thinking.

1. Is my thinking logical?

Overthinking is often illogical thinking, as well. Is this the case every single time? No. But many times overthinking is either about something illogical or itself includes illogical thoughts.

If you find yourself overthinking, ask yourself if what you’re thinking about is truly logical. Even if it is, how logical is it?

For example, if you’re afraid of something that might happen, ask yourself how possible it is that this thing happens. Even if it is ‘possible’ it still may be highly unlikely.

Don’t allow your overthinking to go down paths of unreasonable imagination and interpretation. Thoughts aren’t always reasonable.

2. Can I dedicate mental energy to something else to help myself grow?

Overthinking expends valuable mental energy. This energy can be used for something more important or more worthy of your time and effort.

When you catch yourself overthinking, redirect your thoughts towards something more valuable. Rather than thinking about something someone may have said two years ago, think about what you’d like to accomplish on this day.

Rather than reading into someone’s texts, read a book that gives you valuable knowledge to use in life.

Your mind is precious and the thoughts within it must benefit you, not hold you back. Your brain is a tool that can take you amazing places when used correctly or harm you when used incorrectly.

3. Why am I overthinking?

What is the reason you find yourself giving so much mental energy to a specific topic? Why would this topic cause you to become fixated?

Often times, when we can identify and address the root cause this can help with overcoming the overthinking. For example, overthinking may be caused by a deeper insecurity. This insecurity should be addressed or accepted.

Overthinking comes from a root cause. Whether that cause deserves mental energy or not is another story but the main point is there is a cause. Determine the cause, be conscious of it and allow yourself to face it head on.

4. How can I get over this to move on with my life?

Okay, so you thought and thought and thought about something. Is that enough thinking yet? You’ve given the topic a space in your mind, now it’s time to get it out.

Once you catch yourself overthinking, give yourself 2 to 5 minutes where you say this is when you’ll conclude your thoughts. Take this time to discuss or think about whatever you want. Let the thoughts run through your head. Use this time to get over the issue and move on with your life.

Ask yourself how you can finally accept whatever it is that causes you to think so much and just live your life. You don’t have to like it or celebrate it, just accept it and move on.

5. Does what I’m thinking about matter that much?

Just because you think about it a lot doesn’t mean necessarily mean it matters. Just because you give it value doesn’t mean it deserves to have it.

Is the reason you are overthinking really that important? Does it matter that much in the grand scheme of things? In life, which is so complex and more important than the petty stuff, is this probably very minute thing worth thinking about so much?

Ask yourself if it will matter in 5 minutes, 5 hours, 5 days, 5 months or 5 years. If the answer to any of these is no then it shouldn’t matter now.

6. Do I truly need to acknowledge these thoughts?

If you’re overthinking, that’s fine. But you don’t need to feel a connection with these thoughts. If your mind throws fears, memories, etc. at you, you need not acknowledge them.

You don’t need to disconnect from your thoughts to the point where you have absolutely no linkage to them. They are still technically yours. The goal here is to simply stop addressing every thought or topic your mind may hand you.

Sometimes, we aren’t really choosing to think about something but it comes to mind. This often ends up causing overthinking. You can break this cycle by not acknowledging every thought that comes to mind.

Let it come and let it go. Don’t discuss it and give it time unless you truly feel like you should. Otherwise, if it is an unwelcomed thought, leave it be.

7. Why don’t I simply break the cycle now?

You started overthinking? Why are you still overthinking? Make the conscious choice to break the cycle as soon as it starts.

Don’t allow yourself to go down a train of thought that occupies your mind. Use your willpower to stop yourself from going through this. The best time to stop overthinking is when you want to stop.