Overthinking Self-Assessment: Is Your Mind Stuck in a Loop

Overthinking is more than just “thinking too much”. It is reliving past events and contemplating what you could have done differently, imagining future scenarios with great details and overanalyzing minute interactions in your day. Overthinking is like looking for fire where there are no signs of smoke; it is often unnecessary, futile and even irrational. One may realize the problematic nature of their overthinking and still may not be able to stop. Understanding the underlying feelings and beliefs associated with overthinking is the first step in its management. This self-assessment will help you understand the extent of your overthinking and its impact on you.

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Overthinking Self Assessment Test

What Overthinking Can Feel Like

Overthinking involves thinking about a certain topic or a situation excessively and analyzing it for long periods of time. When you’re obsessing over a particular topic, it is difficult to focus your attention on the task at hand, or stay present in interactions. Keep in mind that overthinking is different from analytical thinking that is time-bound, intentional, and necessary. It is the function of our thoughts that differentiates appropriate analytical thinking from overthinking. While analytical thinking helps you gain perspective, find solutions, and guides action, overthinking exhausts your mind, delays action, and leaves you with a sense of helplessness.

In your daily life, overthinking can look like constantly second-guessing your decisions, repeating conversations in your head, obsessing over stressful situations or even over-researching about a particular topic. If your thoughts often spiral around “what if”, worst case scenarios, or you anticipate people’s judgement before interacting with them, you may be overthinking. Over time, overthinking can result in low mood, poor sleep, impair decision-making, affect focus and attention. If not kept in check, it can worsen into mental health challenges like anxiety and depression.

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Getting to the Core of Your Overthinking

At its core, overthinking serves by maintaining an illusion of control; when you encounter a stressful situation, thought or a feeling, your mind tries to “think your way out” of it. Therefore, it is important to take a pause and understand the nature of your overthinking.

Notice the emotions that commonly follow your thinking spirals. Fear, guilt, self-doubt or shame - are uncomfortable emotions that you may be trying to avoid by overthinking. Use self-reflective prompts like: “What am I really afraid of right now?” or “What feeling am I trying to avoid?”

Although feeling these uncomfortable emotions is an unpleasant experience, it is an integral step in overcoming overthinking. Once you get to the core of your overthinking – whether it is an uncomfortable reality or a negative self-belief, you can gradually start working on challenging these negative beliefs or accepting the reality. It is definitely possible to direct your mind towards more productive thinking and emotional management with self-reflection, support and proper guidance.

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1-on-1 Talk Therapy

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Therapist-Led Support Groups

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Peer Conversations

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Workshops

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FAQs

How do I know if I’m overthinking or just being detail-oriented and thorough?

This is a fair doubt to have when you’re working on an important, complex task. While it is definitely important to spend time and careful effort on such tasks, you can reflect on whether this attention to detail is goal-oriented, helpful and proportionate. If you’re obsessing over minute details to delay working on further tasks, you may be overthinking. Overthinking about minute details often induces anxiety, creates confusion, delays decisions and hampers overall progress. If you’re still in doubt, reflect on whether your thinking is helping you solve a problem, or avoid a negative feeling

Can overthinking stem from traumatic experiences in the past?

Yes, it is definitely possible for past traumatic experiences to contribute to overthinking. Many experts believe that overthinking could be a learned response to trauma, a coping mechanism to deal with the feelings of anxiety and helplessness related to such experiences. So whenever we encounter similar situations of unpredictability and loss of control, our minds try to fill the gap by overthinking every possible problem and its solution. It is counterproductive since the situation at hand may not be as bad as the past event, but it still triggers an intense emotional and cognitive response. Recognizing overthinking patterns and identifying specific triggers is the first step of overcoming this type of overthinking.

Is my overthinking related to anxiety or another mental health issue?

It is possible that your overthinking is a symptom of a mental health issue like anxiety; and it is also possible to overthink without a deeper mental health problem. If you overthink only on certain occasions, about specific situations/issues and it does not affect your day-to-day functioning extensively, then it may not be related to a mental health issue. However, if you feel like your obsessive thoughts “consume” you, impairing your ability to focus on complex tasks or even simpler daily tasks, and if you’re experiencing considerable distress, it may help to take a deeper look at your overthinking.

How would I know if I’m overthinking about a real, stressful situation in my present?

It is natural for a stressful situation to lead to feelings of confusion and worry while you’re planning on how to tackle the situation. Depending on the nature of the situation, it is also okay to have moments of panic and anxiety. However, overthinking can present itself in the form of blowing the actual situation out of proportion by overestimating its negative impact and underestimating your capability and resources. If you notice yourself stuck in catastrophizing “what if” loops, if your thoughts bring up intense feelings of fear/worry instead of insights about the problem, and if you constantly delay acting on it, you may be overthinking about the situation.

How can a therapist or a support group help me overcome overthinking?

When overthinking starts causing extreme distress and gets difficult to handle on your own, a supportive space to gently explore your inner world can make all the difference. A therapist and support group can help create a safe space and provide encouragement to speak your distressing thoughts out loud. Discussing your experience with people with similar struggles helps you explore your thoughts, without the sting of self-judgement and shame. Additionally you can learn important skills to identify and understand your patterns as well as effectively break them with the right tools and practices. With continued support and practice, it is entirely possible to manage your overthinking.

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