Last Updated on April 16, 2024 by the thought method co.
If you find yourself searching “what is overthinking,” chances are you’ve been told that you’re “overthinking it” or you believe you’re thinking too much. You might be questioning whether you need to stop your repetitive thoughts, feeling like something is wrong with you.
And when you look up “overthinking,” you’ll come across numerous articles and books offering definitions like, “when you repetitively dwell on the same thought or situation over and over.”
These sources will tell you to evaluate your thoughts on an over/under scale and aim to reduce or stop them. They will give you common advice like distracting yourself or practicing meditation.
And when those “fixes” don’t work (because you were set up for failure), you will likely go back to thinking you are broken, continuing to get stuck in cycles of thoughts and rumination.
But there’s nothing wrong with you, you aren’t thinking “too much,” and common advice is just making the situation worse.
Here we are going to talk about: the word “overthinking,” what it actually means, how it is simply mislabeled, unproductive thoughts (and why it is important to make that distinction) and how you can get started on making your thoughts productive so you can stop the thought loops.
The word “overthinking”
The term “overthink” or “overthinking” has gained popularity in recent decades. It follows the common theme of concepts being labeled in unproductive ways. Think of it like how people label emotions as “overreacting,” which is invalidating and not helpful at all.
This term gets people stuck, and judging their thoughts on an over/under scale as if there is some “perfect” equation and amount of thought. “Overthink” simply adds to the mental noise and gets people stuck.
Unproductive thoughts
What people commonly label as “overthink” or “overthinking” is unproductive thinking. When your thoughts are unproductive, you can find yourself caught in a loop, repeatedly thinking about something and then wanting to stop thinking about it, which only makes you think about it more.
Unproductive thinking is when you don’t manage your thoughts, letting them spiral out of control. You’ll likely feel the need to escape them rather than making them your advocates.
Productive thinking doesn’t mean you actually produce something; it means focusing on your goals and creating a healthy mindset. You’ll focus on what you want, instead of what you don’t want and you’ll be open to different perspectives and viewpoints instead of being fixed in your mindset.
If your thoughts were productive, you would recognize that judging your thoughts on an over/under scale isn’t healthy. You would work on reframing your thoughts to make them productive which will stop the thought loops.
For example, after a social event unproductive thinking looks like replaying interactions and analyzing things you said or did.
If you were thinking productively, you would:
- Realize everyone makes social mistakes but people are more forgiving than we typically think and you can improve your social skills
- Recognize areas for improvement in your communication, perhaps realizing you didn’t like how you said something and planning to phrase it differently next time
- Reflect on ways to better connect with others and what you enjoyed about the event
- Be proud you stepped out of your comfort zone and put yourself out there even if you feel socially awkward
- Make any necessary follow-up with people you met
Besides being unproductive thoughts…
Like other concepts regarding thoughts, “overthink” is multifaceted, it also represents:
“Overthinking” is an unhealthy perspective
If you label your thoughts as “overthinking” and try to stop or reduce them you will only think more. Judging thought on an over/under scale stems from an unproductive perspective. Labeling is an unproductive thought habit that is going to get you stuck.
“Overthinking” is invalidation and self-abandonment
Just like judging emotions on an over/under scale, “you’re overreacting,” judging thoughts on an over/under scale, i.e. “overthinking,” is invalidating. Instead of focusing on the root of the problem, you get stuck thinking your experience is not valid leading to shame and guilt.
“Overthinking” is a way to get stuck
Judging thoughts on an over/under scale backs you into a corner. Your option is to reduce your thoughts. Working to reduce thoughts gets you stuck, and thinking about how you want to stop thinking will make you think more. It’s like trying to stop a rolling car from rolling down a hill.
“Overthinking” is a lack of mental health education
Your “overthinking” is simply a sign of a lack of mental health education and a society that lacks the resources to effectively support you. By learning about your thoughts and understanding what healthy and productive thinking looks like, you’re taking steps to address this issue today.
“Overthinking” is an opportunity to build self-awareness
While repetitive thoughts can be frustrating, they are prompting you to step out of your comfort zone and gain a deeper understanding of your thoughts. This self-awareness will help improve your mental health, foster healthier connections, and lead to greater overall happiness.
How to “stop overthinking”
While the solution may seem simple—make your thoughts productive—the process of doing so can take time, effort, and learning. However, as someone who has transformed their thinking into a productive mindset, I can assure you, it’s worth the effort!
If I was to start from the beginning, to make my thoughts productive, I would first acknowledge that my mind doesn’t recognize “don’ts”. So when I think how I *don’t* want to have excessive thoughts, my mind hears “excessive thoughts.”
Kind of like if someone says “don’t think of a pink elephant,” and you think of a pink elephant.
From there I would start to prioritize focusing on what I want over what I do not want. So instead of wanting to stop your thoughts—which is really not wanting to have excessive thoughts—you would focus on making your thoughts productive.
You would say, “I am going to make my thoughts work for me!” instead of thinking, “ugh, I wish I didn’t think so much.”
While seemingly simple, this perspective shift makes a huge difference. Work to focus on what you want in different areas of life. Someone you were excited to date not communicating? Instead of thinking how you don’t want them to ignore your texts, focus on how you want someone who is more communicative and responds with consistency.
