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How Do I Deal With Overthinking? · Wellbeing Solutions - Ask A Counsellor

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: So today we are going to talk about how we recognise overthinking instead of simply thinking things through in a healthy way.
• 0:09
  SPEAKER_00: So one of the bigger signs is when your mind keeps replaying the same situation again and again without coming to a conclusion.
• 0:18
  SPEAKER_00: For example, you might keep analysing a conversation you had earlier, wondering if you said the wrong thing or if someone's upset with you instead of just helping you move forward.
• 0:27
  SPEAKER_00: The thoughts just seem to go in circles.
• 0:30
  SPEAKER_00: Another sign is imagine in worst case scenarios, overthinking often makes small problems feel much bigger than they really are.
• 0:38
  SPEAKER_00: So a delayed reply to a text message suddenly becomes, oh, they must be angry with me, or one mistake at work becomes I'm going to fail completely.
• 0:47
  SPEAKER_00: Overthinking tends to turn uncertainty into fear.
• 0:51
  SPEAKER_00: Physical signs of this can also appear, so you might notice trouble sleeping, headaches, feel intense, or struggling to concentrate because your mind never seems to switch off.
• 1:01
  SPEAKER_00: Sometimes people overthink so much that they avoid making decisions because they're afraid of making completely the wrong choice.
• 1:08
  SPEAKER_00: Overthinking also steals us away from the present moment.
• 1:11
  SPEAKER_00: So instead of enjoying what's happening now, we become stuck in the past or worried about the future.
• 1:16
  SPEAKER_00: We spend more time inside our heads and actually living our lives.
• 1:20
  SPEAKER_00: A useful question to ask yourself is is this all helping me or is it just keeping me stuck?
• 1:25
  SPEAKER_00: Healthy thinking usually leads to action, understanding, or problem solving.
• 1:30
  SPEAKER_00: Overthinking usually leads to stress, confusion, and exhaustion.
• 1:34
  SPEAKER_00: Recognising overthinking is important because once we notice it, we can begin to manage it.
• 1:39
  SPEAKER_00: Simple things like talking to someone we trust, writing our thoughts down, taking breaks from social media, or focusing on facts instead of assumptions can really help calm the mind.
• 1:50
  SPEAKER_00: In the end, overthinking is something that many people struggle with, especially during stressful times.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_00: Recognising it doesn't mean that there's something wrong with you, it just might simply mean that your mind needs to rest and to gain some perspective and to be assured.