5 Signs Your Overthinking Is Problematic

Balancing a successful career and motherhood while also taking care of yourself is no easy feat, especially for a high-achieving, ambitious woman.It's no surprise that your mind is constantly abuzz with thoughts, to-do’s, worries, and plans. Cue the mental load discussions. However, there comes a point when this natural tendency to overthink can become overwhelming, impactful, and detrimental to your well-being. Is this idea of thriving in this stage of life attainable at all? Imagine how much more you could do with your time and your life if you weren’t stuck in your head all the time. 

I’ve created a list of the top 5 ways to recognize when your overthinking is crossing the line into problematic territory:

1. Persistent Rumination: Getting stuck on the endless cycle of thinking about past events is called rumination. This habit is mentally exhausting and time consuming. When we ruminate, it tends to become a habit meaning that we engage in it at routine times and places. For instance, many people experience cycles of rumination at the end of the day when trying to fall asleep.

2. Symptoms of Anxiety: I already mentioned that overthinking is exhausting. But there are  more physical symptoms that you may experience if you’re prone to overthinking. For instance, gut issues, body aches and pains, headaches, and insomnia are all common with excessive thinking patterns. Over time, these habits may take a pretty big toll on your overall well-being. Likewise, when we get lost in overthinking, our mood is likely to be impacted over time. Feeling depressed, ashamed, guilty, anxious, frustrated, irritable, and stuck are all common reactions to habitual overthinking.

3. Impaired Functioning: When people overthink, they often rationalize this behavior by convincing themselves that they’re being productive and doing something about the problem. Your ability to analyze is clearly strong, however you’re likely getting caught in analysis paralysis and not actually getting anywhere or solving the issue at hand. This can result in your productivity and progress actually being affected. 

4. Negative Self-Talk: Notice how your tendency to overthink might actually border on unhelpful and invalidating self-talk. What may start out as anticipating failure or rejection often leads to intense self-criticism and shaming. Other times, focusing on the worst case scenario leads people to feeling panicked as if that outcome is actually occurring in the present. When productivity decreases and procrastination increases due to overthinking, you can imagine the unconstructive self-talk related to your abilities and performance. 

5. Impact on Relationships: Excessive overthinking can strain relationships. It makes sense as you may feel more irritable, withdrawn, or even be more controlling in an effort to feel less helpless about your situation.  If your overthinking is affecting your ability to connect with others, it's time to address the underlying issues.

Recognizing when your overthinking is becoming problematic is crucial in guiding you towards regaining control of your mind and your life. If you recognize these symptoms and recognize you’re caught in these habits, find a professional near you who can provide quality support for you to tackle overthinking.

Curious about strategies to overcome your pesky overthinking habit? Take my quiz to determine how bad this habit is for you.

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