People Who Overthink Everything Tend To Buy Into These 4 Lies, According To Psychology
Chronic overthinkers often fall for false beliefs that keep them stuck in cycles of doubt.
nensuria | Canva I’ve had people continually tell me that I over-analyze and think too much. I would be inclined to agree. Years of being too ‘in my thoughts’ created excessive anxiety, insecurity, and many missed opportunities. I’ve lost time, energy, and friendships because of it.
I can still over-analyze today, but my experience is vastly different than ten years ago. What helped me the most was not employing any specific technique. Rather, it was letting go of these four lies that I had convinced myself were true.
People who overthink everything tend to buy into these four lies, according to psychology:
1. 'The more I think, the closer I get to a solution'
It may seem that our thoughts provide a powerful tool for finding solutions to problems. In reality, actively thinking is surprisingly ineffective and often makes us feel worse. Why?
Because when we worry, we feel the emotion of worry. We feed a loop of negative thinking when we feel low. We then perform poorly. You know this; you’ve been there. We stunt ourselves.
You might notice that we rarely receive an insight or a clear solution in our minds unless we are relaxed. Let go of the need to think intensely, and you will receive all the wisdom you need.
2. 'The present moment has nothing for me'
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Many of us prefer to stay in our heads, ruminating like a ping pong ball in a blender, because it appears the present moment is empty. It seems like the real excitement and progress happen in our thoughts. So we live there.
But here, we are unconscious and dead to what is happening around us. We know the effects because those around us complain that we’re missing out on life — and we are.
One study explained that individuals with anxiety tend to be more prone to a negativity bias, interpreting information about the future as threatening and discounting positive future possibilities.
We overlook the beauty, lucidity, and simplicity of the present moment. The present provides us with all the information we need in real-time. There are no pressures or problems here.
We are much more effective here, and when we’re willing to spend more time here, life takes on a brighter tone, free of ongoing concern. Return. The world needs you back with us.
3. 'Discomfort means there is something wrong'
Many of us have a confused relationship with our feelings. We think that we feel our circumstances. For example, if we feel nervous on a call, we often buy into the idea that this reflects the ‘seriousness’ of the meeting or something wrong with us.
But we do not feel ourselves or our circumstances. We feel our thoughts. It is as simple and direct as this. Research has shown that instead of confronting their feelings, individuals may attempt to intellectualize them away or push them aside, creating a vicious cycle where emotions resurface and fuel further overthinking and anxiety.
Our feelings ARE our thoughts. When we judge something as a threat, whether receiving a bill or an invite to speak in front of the class, we literally fabricate our emotional experience. We often look for meaning in what we experience.
If we feel fear, we can take the feeling seriously. When we deem something as ‘serious,’ guess what happens? We can overthink. The solution, then, is to understand that those bad feelings reflect our minds, nothing less. It’s ok to feel ‘bad’ thoughts. When I saw this, I felt far less inclined to overthink things.
4. 'I lose control when I stop thinking'
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Our lives are in continual flux. Everything is uncertain. Chaos is the norm, not the exception. As such, it can be tantalizing to want to exert control over our lives. Many attempt this through our (over) analysis of situations. Some preparation and analysis can be helpful, of course.
Studies show that people who overthink often develop an inflated sense that their constant mental processing actually influences outcomes. This illusion of mental control makes them believe that stopping their thoughts would somehow make bad things more likely to happen.
The problem can lie in assuming that we lose control if we’re not obsessively thinking. We do not. Life will continue to be uncertain regardless of the techniques employed.
Acceptance, therefore, is the solution. When we accept and let go of life’s inevitable chaos, we’re in a far better position to adapt. How so? Because we’re no longer so uptight.
Alex Mathers is a writer and coach who helps you build a money-making personal brand with your knowledge and skills while staying mentally resilient. He's the author of the Mastery Den newsletter, which helps people triple their productivity.
