How to overcome "Overthinking"

[Undead Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Undead]

I find myself with a bad habit of overthinking stuff which only leads to getting angry. Do you ever find yourself in a similar situation? Does your brain sometimes run and just doesn't know how to stop? Id like to get some feedback on this topic, i feel like its easier said to just stop then to actually do it....

[Tamora Retired Super Moderator Member of the Month Aug 2015 PEGym Hero Find all posts View Profile Close Tamora]

What kind of stuff?

Over analysing can lead to anxiety which would lead to anger. Exercise is a great stress reliever.

[Party Senior Member Member of the Month August 2016 Find all posts View Profile Close Party]

I find myself with a bad habit of overthinking stuff which only leads to getting angry. Do you ever find yourself in a similar situation? Does your brain sometimes run and just doesn't know how to stop? Id like to get some feedback on this topic, i feel like its easier said to just stop then to actually do it....

Yes. At your age I got angry. At mine I just lioose sleep, and nothing gets solved. Just adds stress upon layer, upon layers of stress. Even good sex today didn't help. Reality crashes back in. When I was your age, not a care in the world, without a pot to piss in, I got in business with my best friend and uncle. Now, with some money in the bank and a sick kid, I can't sleep. And when I do, nightmares. Ugh.

So relax. You're young. Go to the beach, frack the crap outta her, time is short. Enjoy your youth, it's fleeting. Responsibility is gonna crash in on you sooner than later.

[incogneeetoe Moderator Member of the Month Sept 2017*Special Appreciated Moderator Nov. 2021* PEGym Hero Find all posts View Profile Close incogneeetoe]

I find myself with a bad habit of overthinking stuff which only leads to getting angry. Do you ever find yourself in a similar situation? Does your brain sometimes run and just doesn't know how to stop? Id like to get some feedback on this topic, i feel like its easier said to just stop then to actually do it....

It is easier said than done. I used to be an over thinker, then I read The Complete Idiots Guide to Zen (or maybe Zen for Dummies?). It helped me to overcome the overthinking.

Basically whenever you start to overthink you have to stop, be aware of it and then breath deeply to a count of 10. Focus only on the breathing and the counting. if your mind wanders, go back to 1 and start over. It takes time but you can train your mind to stop.

There are other things too: do things with mindfulness. As you do a mundane task focus on all the sensory aspects of it. Take washing dishes as an example. Focus on the feeling of the dish, the soap, the hot water. Touch the dish and feel it getting clean. Don't just stand there and let your mind wander, focus on the task.

I do it while performing PE, I place all my concentration on the task, the feel of my hand on the penis, the feeling of the penis in my hand, the pull on the ligaments, the stretching of the skin.

It is something that you have to do manually. Once you get used to it, though, it becomes automatic.

[boyonamission Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close boyonamission]

For me personally, I also had a time during my high school years where I also overthinked a lot. I've conquered it by learning that my overthinking is just temporary. During 11th Grade I overthinked too much that I basically numbed myself (not to the point of me being depressed or angry, to the point were I realised what I am thinking is only temporary, and that it's honestly meaningless). I then realised that all my friends, peers and acquaintances from my school, and abroad, basically all have crap going on in their lives, and that overthinking made it much worse.

What also helped me from my overthinking was from the experiences of others. One of these experiences are; my parents would fight constantly when choosing a new house for the family. My mum got so mad that she told that my dad to just divorce her, and him mentioning that he didn't care about the marriage anymore. I remember both telling their perspectives, how it's the worse day of their live's (doubt it), scared of what the future will hold. Fast forward 5 months, it's liked it never happened (they eventually both agreed on a house they wanted to buy).

Another one is where my friend got drunk during a party, and he showed his penis for some reason, and people then began to take photos of it, to the point where it circulated from one school to another. Due to this, he fell into a state of depression, thinking his life is over, and that he'll never get a girlfriend (him thinking that; because his penis was 4.3 inches when erect, all girls would reject him). Fast forward 7 months, he got this smoking hot vietnamese girlfriend (who he has sex with), and is no longer upset. Even though some people still have photos of him with his dong, he grew stronger as a person, and just laughs along the people who are roasting him.

So yeah, going to say it again. How I've learned to overcome my overthinking is by realising that what problems that I was thinking was only temporary, and that I've learned to beat it, or to get over it. There's always going to be crap in anyones life, it's just a matter of how we deal the problem.

[Undead Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Undead]

What kind of stuff?

Over analysing can lead to anxiety which would lead to anger. Exercise is a great stress reliever.

This is exactly my sequence of process of though for the past week... i just wish i could start the gym sooner, i use to live there.

[Undead Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Undead]

Yes. At your age I got angry. At mine I just lioose sleep, and nothing gets solved. Just adds stress upon layer, upon layers of stress. Even good sex today didn't help. Reality crashes back in. When I was your age, not a care in the world, without a pot to piss in, I got in business with my best friend and uncle. Now, with some money in the bank and a sick kid, I can't sleep. And when I do, nightmares. Ugh.

So relax. You're young. Go to the beach, frack the crap outta her, time is short. Enjoy your youth, it's fleeting. Responsibility is gonna crash in on you sooner than later.

I wish i could not have a care in the world but with my suituation i would be living a life in denial unfourtounatle, but i keep my head up as i remember how much i use to live stress free i am at my limit now as silly as that sounds and im working on bettering my self (health wise) and mentality.

[Undead Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Undead]

It is easier said than done. I used to be an over thinker, then I read The Complete Idiots Guide to Zen (or maybe Zen for Dummies?). It helped me to overcome the overthinking.

Basically whenever you start to overthink you have to stop, be aware of it and then breath deeply to a count of 10. Focus only on the breathing and the counting. if your mind wanders, go back to 1 and start over. It takes time but you can train your mind to stop.

There are other things too: do things with mindfulness. As you do a mundane task focus on all the sensory aspects of it. Take washing dishes as an example. Focus on the feeling of the dish, the soap, the hot water. Touch the dish and feel it getting clean. Don't just stand there and let your mind wander, focus on the task.

I do it while performing PE, I place all my concentration on the task, the feel of my hand on the penis, the feeling of the penis in my hand, the pull on the ligaments, the stretching of the skin.

It is something that you have to do manually. Once you get used to it, though, it becomes automatic.

This is actually a very solid way to overcome overthinking, usually i catch myself thinking about stuff kind of like in autopilot mode. Like you said i ignore my surrounding and indulge myself in it instead of focusing on the task at hand.

[Undead Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Undead]

For me personally, I also had a time during my high school years where I also overthinked a lot. I've conquered it by learning that my overthinking is just temporary. During 11th Grade I overthinked too much that I basically numbed myself (not to the point of me being depressed or angry, to the point were I realised what I am thinking is only temporary, and that it's honestly meaningless). I then realised that all my friends, peers and acquaintances from my school, and abroad, basically all have crap going on in their lives, and that overthinking made it much worse.

What also helped me from my overthinking was from the experiences of others. One of these experiences are; my parents would fight constantly when choosing a new house for the family. My mum got so mad that she told that my dad to just divorce her, and him mentioning that he didn't care about the marriage anymore. I remember both telling their perspectives, how it's the worse day of their live's (doubt it), scared of what the future will hold. Fast forward 5 months, it's liked it never happened (they eventually both agreed on a house they wanted to buy).

Another one is where my friend got drunk during a party, and he showed his penis for some reason, and people then began to take photos of it, to the point where it circulated from one school to another. Due to this, he fell into a state of depression, thinking his life is over, and that he'll never get a girlfriend (him thinking that; because his penis was 4.3 inches when erect, all girls would reject him). Fast forward 7 months, he got this smoking hot vietnamese girlfriend (who he has sex with), and is no longer upset. Even though some people still have photos of him with his dong, he grew stronger as a person, and just laughs along the people who are roasting him.

So yeah, going to say it again. How I've learned to overcome my overthinking is by realising that what problems that I was thinking was only temporary, and that I've learned to beat it, or to get over it. There's always going to be crap in anyones life, it's just a matter of how we deal the problem.

Your absolutely right, thos thought and actions might not be able to change but they are a temporary moment and most the time we over analyze that moment and stick to thos thoughts. Your friend btw is a very lucky guy

[Party Senior Member Member of the Month August 2016 Find all posts View Profile Close Party]

Yes. I know. Just remembering though care free days on the beach. Just enough money to take care of myself and make my truck payment, food and beer. My only worries were my tan and frackin'. Gotta grow up sometime I guess. Maybe I will someday. But till then! Tannin' and Frackin' her brains out! OH, YA!

[Undead Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Undead]

Yes. I know. Just remembering though care free days on the beach. Just enough money to take care of myself and make my truck payment, food and beer. My only worries were my tan and frackin'. Gotta grow up sometime I guess. Maybe I will someday. But till then! Tannin' and Frackin' her brains out! OH, YA!

Hahaha, reminds me of when i dropped out of highschool thought i had everything figured out. I had a car, girls, friends to hang out with was ripped and has just enough money to show off. Feels like i hit midlife crisis at 25 lmao i know it sounds silly but hey life comes at you fast sometimes!

Im looking forward to growing up i do want to get old but not too old, i rather not live to 90... but hey who knows! I always tell myself and my gf you only live once so enjoy yourself and put a smile on your face that says fuck the world but gently...

[Party Senior Member Member of the Month August 2016 Find all posts View Profile Close Party]

Be careful of what you wish for my friend. Enjoy being pain free right now, physically and emotionally. Aging takes a toll on your body and mind, it ain't what it's cracked up to be.

[PhilipKDick Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close PhilipKDick]

Sometimes our minds trick us into believing that we've thought a problem through thoroughly, when really we haven't, all we've done is made a tangled rope mess of the situation internally, maybe reinforced our own fears and doubts about it. Only when we try to explain the problem to another person, we suddenly see the rope straightening out before us. Putting it into logically constructed language actually requires it to make sense. We might not resolve the problem immediately, but we might see where the knot is, and be able to move forward from there.

if there's no one you can talk to about it, then write it down somewhere private or temporary. It has the same effect.

[Dangler Senior Administrator☼ Wizard ☼ White Tiger Award 2015 Find all posts View Profile Close Dangler]

There is sharing with another person, that which is being over thought. It can have the result of lessening the burden, freeing you up to consider an 'issue' differently.

Diary entry(s) are akin to opening up a thread in a appropriate forum. Reading what troubles you is very different than just keeping the thinking 'locked between your ears'.

Prayer, it can be very helpful.

An issue can have several facets to to it. Like a cut diamond has several sides, so does your 'issue'.
Develop thinking that looks at things in several contexts or sides.
The more you can un-stick yourself from just one viewpoint, and look at others, the better you will be. ( Don't be a binary thinker. 1 or 0, right or wrong, black or white, etc. )

[Undead Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Undead]

Sometimes our minds trick us into believing that we've thought a problem through thoroughly, when really we haven't, all we've done is made a tangled rope mess of the situation internally, maybe reinforced our own fears and doubts about it.

I can agree with this, i think moving forward is the conclusion that you will eventually reach because overthinking leads to dead end, in other words "moving forward." It all comes down to a personal issues and fears like you mentioned.

I just have a very hard time because once i think of something i feel like its for a reason and my mind trust my thought too much, makes it very hard to move forward.