What is Overthinking? – Things to Do to Break the Cycle of Overthinking (2 Techniques)

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Definition of Overthinking

Overthinking means talking in mind or repetition of the same thoughts for too long a time. Overthinking is an issue that plagues a lot of people in all walks of life. It has been around since the dawn of man.

“How do I attract a mate?”

“Should I stay or should I go?”

“Am I doing the right thing?”

This is all overthinking. All of our decisions have a consequence and often lead to a trail of thought that can be crippling and potentially destructive. So, in short, “overthinking” is any kind of thinking too much. Thinking which focuses on the negative and what might go wrong in all scenarios, which can prevent you from making progress in your life.

Overthinking is the opposite of living in the moment, it’s the opposite of mindfulness – it makes you dread the future and be anxious about the past. Overthinking gives you extreme low-self esteem and makes you believe that you’re not good enough or that nothing will ever work for you. It makes you sink into depression and sometimes even suicide.

Mind of an Overthinker

This makes them feel even more self-conscious and they worry they’re being noticed as “the guy who always asks questions at meetings” or “the girl who takes ten minutes to answer any question”. In a misinformed attempt at self-preservation, they think, “If I’m the only one thinking these thoughts, I must be the only person who thinks I’m an idiot.

Overthinkers are often highly aware of their thought-process. They may notice that they’re always the last person to speak in a group (“silence is non-action” – in other words, “better to be wrong than not say anything”) or that they take notes during conversations (like an interview). 

Things to Do to Break the Cycle of Overthinking – 2 Techniques

Meditation – Best Way to Stop Severe Overthinking

Overthinking can be defined as a situation where person thinks too much about every little situation and overanalyzes every decision he has to make in life. It can be very difficult to deal with overthinking. Overthinking can cause more harm than good for you and your future relationships with others. The good thing is, you can do something about it. You just need to find the right way to stop overthinking now.

The number one thing that helps is Meditation. This is an age-old technique of clearing your mind, relaxing the senses and enjoying inner peace. You are not going to think about anything when you are meditating – your only job is to clear your mind of all the thoughts coming in.

Overthinking is basically a continuous thinking cycle, you think, then you question yourself, then you doubt yourself and so on and so forth till you feel stressed out and restless. Meditation helps you break this cycle of overthinking by clearing your mind off all the thoughts that are really not worth thinking about. It allows you to keep your focus on one thing – your breathing – which allows you to start de-stressing and find some inner peace.

Pranayama – Help Calm Your Mind & Stop intrusive thoughts

Pranayama is a Sanskrit word, which means “to control life force or energy”. In Yogic tradition it is considered a science of breathing, which helps to control the mind and body. Pranayam is also known as a “yoga breathing exercise”. Pranayama helps stop intrusive thoughts which bother you in your day to day life.

It promotes deep breathing, which stimulates the internal organs and harmonizes all parts of the body. It has benefits like, improves mental clarity and concentration, provides effective stress relief and calms the nervous system.There are wide variety of available Pranayama, Few of the them are listed below:

• Dirga Pranayam
• Shitali Pranayama
• Ujjayi Pranayama
• Bhramari Pranayama
• Bhastrika Pranayama