I refer to Susan Nolen-Hoeksema (her book “Women Who Think Too Much”, who studied the cognitive mechanism leading to depression and was the first to highlight the “Overthinking Syndrom”. According to a study among 1300 person chosen randomly, she discovered that 63% of young adults and 52% of quadras could be considered as «overthinkers» with a predominance in the feminine population.
Dr. Nolen-Hoeksema explains overthinking is paying attention to the thoughts created by our mood, mulling them over, taking them very seriously, and letting them influence our decisions. It looks like going over your thoughts and then examining them repetitively.
I like the image she is using as “the yeast effect”: Imagine your thoughts as a dough (to make bread for example). Then imagine that Overthinking is as if you were kneading this dough for a long moment; the volume of the dough will increase with time. In the same manner dough doubles in size when kneaded, our negative thoughts will grow when we work them over too.
Over time, this will lead to:
- Less insight, less present and able to make the right choice
- Concentration drops down
- The positive can pass under our nose, it would even not be seen!
- Trouble solving problems
- Source of tiredness
- Breaks any motivation, desire to act or reach out to others
Finally, negative thoughts are a vicious circle !!
What solutions?
I will give one you will not like: DO NOT accept to enter in this vicious circle.
Yes, I know it’s easier to say than to do.
- Sophrology is offering techniques to be more conscious of your 5 senses, be more in the Present, more in tune with your feelings, your emotions, and your thoughts. Then you will be able to notice when a “dark though” is appearing and is starting to take to much space in your mind. This 1rst step is ESSENTIAL.
- Then, you can decide to do an activity that brings you in the present. For some people it is cooking, gardening, juggle (try, you’ll notice it’s very efficient 🙂 ), running, playing…
- Observe your thoughts, from outside as if you were a spectator. Take a step back.
- Then decide what you will advise a friend you would be in your situation.
- Finally, which protection you can put to not fall again in this trap? Give yourself the permission to imagine your own protection. It can absolutely be everything, and you are the only person who knows what’s in your head, consequently the only one who can find the parade.
I will ad that many specialist can help you : Psychologist, Sophrologist, Ayurveda partitionner, Acupuncture specialist, Massage therapist…
Look for help to find your way 😊
The Sun Touch by Margot 