Overthinking
Overthinking, one of my favorite topics. When I say overthinking, I mean engaging in a loop of thinking about something. One thought leads to other, and we reach a point where we don't even remember from where we started. So, we all have that one thought of "I am just over exaggerating", but we can't stop, its like we sit idle to relax but think, or we do some work simultaneously thinking about something. So, sometimes even diverting your mind doesn't help. So, now, what happens? we start to believe its normal, but we don't realize that it can further affect us in ways which we may ignore. Sometimes, a stressful situation combined with overthinking can lead to anxiety and eventually harm your mental health adversely.
Overthinking generally focuses on depressing past events, bad experiences, hence stopping you from focusing on present instead. We are generally scared of "what if this happens" so it does involve future predictions based on some bad events that have occurred or a mistake you have made and regret it. So, we know what we think is not real but it is a possibility and hence threatens us. But letting go, is not a thing of over thinkers, and so its difficult when you are just stuck thinking about it even when it is over.
Now the severity we don't understand is it is so exhausting, firstly the energy overthinking takes can exhaust you to now focus on work you must do. Similarly, the time and of course thinking about stuff that actually matters. It makes me very irritated as I know I am overthinking but what is the use when its out of control?
So, changing your work environment for a day helps you just pretend you are away from that, however that particular thought may still bother you for just a second, but trust me it helps just to sit with more people around you, when you work, you are trying to divert yourself but when you sit with people you don't have to try because maybe your work, your hobby is not able to catch your full attention but people can. Also, try to be calm, drink water, maybe take a nap because who is not tired with a 24/7 working mind?
So, treat yourself with patience, leave the work when it gets exhausting and that it what we don't understand, you are not mentally healthy right now, you might not be able to behave like you are okay?
When we say we have a headache, we are ready to give up on work sometime and when it is not completed we give a reason that seems valid.
Whereas, being mentally ill, we aren't able to leave the work because "I am overthinking and its draining me" is not valid enough? (again thinking - is it okay? should I stop work for this reason? I am not doing anything so I should do it instead!)
It is valid, believe me. It is okay, calm down. Take a break, and I understand that it might seem invalid to leave work with what you feel is an invalid reason but next time you feel its invalid ask this question instead: Is prioritizing myself invalid? You know the rest!
However, overthinking is hard to manage but here are some ways which can help:
- Distraction : Walking, Listening to music, engaging in important work instead, painting, maybe take care of your pet or plant (if you have one), change work environment, sit with more people, avoid being alone in a space surrounded with things that make you think about a bad event.
- What are you grateful for?: Ask this to yourself, the feeling of "atleast this is okay or I still have this"
- Let go: I know it is very tough to do this but it is not impossible,tell yourself its time to move on with your life and leave past in past.
- Get proper sleep: You are prone to overthinking at nights when its dark, you are lying down and just get into that loop again. Now even if you want you are not able to sleep, listen to rain sounds, waves, etc. or just walk for a bit to tire yourself, maybe watch a funny serial? or just breath and drink water and try to relax. Sleeping pills for me personally, are like running away from a situation so it just avoids instead of solving it.
Fantastic !
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