Thinking is natural to human beings. Thoughts are a natural occurrence to any human being who has a sound mind and is conscious of their being, their present, past, and future. However, some people can’t help but think too much, perhaps, about an odd situation that passed them by, an important day yet to arrive, a person they hold very dear, the failures that they have encountered in their lives, or the family issues which pester them regularly- it can be anything. It can be something as major as renal failure or even something as trivial as two siblings fighting over a piece of cake. Ever wondered how to stop overthinking and relax? Well, in order to successfully battle out overthinking, you must first identify what’s troubling your mind so incessantly.
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What Causes Overthinking?
Often it so happens that your mind encounters a problem and you try finding a reason to explain the source of all overthinking. But, at times, you are incapable of coming up with a reason that is strong and convincing, so you push your mind to think deeper or come up with a different reason or a more convincing explanation. A very common example nowadays is a text message. Suppose you dropped a message for your close acquaintance or a dear friend and they do not reply for hours. Though you initially consider that they might be occupied, as time passes, you start imagining a number of possibilities as to why they are ignoring you. Overthinking becomes your friend until you get an explanation from the other end.
Overthinking may also be a habit in some cases. The psychology professor Susan Nolen-Hoeksema from the University of Michigan conducted a study, according to which, 73% of people within the age group of 25-35 and 52% of the age group of 45-55 overthinks. However, just like many other behaviors that negatively impact mental wellbeing, overthinking can also be minimized and cured.
Many people tend to worry too much about what the future has in store for them. This uncertainty gives rise to a number of thoughts that scamper around inside your mind reaching no finality, much like a sea beating against the shoreless cliffs. Some dreadful incident from the past that left an indelible imprint on your life might also be a potential cause of overthinking in many individuals.
How to Stop Overthinking and Relax?
Overthinking might appear differently in different people. There is no one single remedy to get rid of overthinking since it’s not some joint pain and these are not anodynes. However, these are some techniques that shall help you considerably reduce your worries and endless thoughts on any particular subject. All of these might not suit you, but try and check which technique works best for you and your state of affairs.
1. Philosophical Razors
Philosophy defines razors as principles that help you “shave off” negative thoughts. Two very important razors that can help you achieve the mental state to shrug off negative thoughts and calm down your overactive thought process are- Occam’s razor and Hanlon’s razor.
Occam’s razor- This principle argues that if there are 2 available explanations for an event, then it is likely that the simpler one will be the cause. In other words, the more speculations you make, the more unrealistic and impractical they become. Occam’s razor can be a great trick to overcome overthinking caused by past incidents.
Hanlon’s razor- This principle is also a derivative of the Occam’s razor. This law suggests that stupidity, negligence, incompetence and errors should be treated as the major explanation rather than assuming the presence of wrong intentions in the other person. This technique helps to shave off the overthinking caused by the assumption of bad intentions.
2. Try to operate within your locus of control
Thoughts are important but not more than actions. Unless thinking eases your tension or helps you modify the consequences of an event, it is real tomfoolery to go on thinking until the end of time.
You have a locus of control and it is necessary that you understand it, identify it. The things that are within your control are your learning, your exercise, self-improvement, relationships, and career growth. However other natural or accidental events and circumstances like wars, terrorism, political occurrences, fate, destiny, celebrities, traffic jams, or the weather are things beyond the purview of your control. You have to accept that you cannot change or affect anything that lies outside your locus of control. Thinking about those external matters would just worsen your peace of mind and would do yourself no good, no matter how hard you try.
3. Change the version of your story
It is always a very effective idea to view things in the light of a positive outlook and an open mind, especially when you are a victim of overthinking. Suppose you planned to catch up with your old school friend and he failed to show up, there are two things that you can possibly imagine; the first that he intentionally avoided the meetup and the other that he got stuck somewhere genuinely and couldn’t make it finally, despite trying too hard. You will eventually come to know the truth, sooner or later, so have patience and try believing things that are positive and would not make you overthink or fill your mind with negativity or anxiety.
4. Focus on finding a solution rather than dragging the problem
The things that you are worrying about are either situated in the past or might have just happened or even might happen in the future. You must realize that overthinking just adds to the burden of the situation you’re in. So, your job is to digress your thoughts from worrying continuously to hunting down the root of the problem, and finding a solution to the problem at hand. Keep your brain cells engaged in a process that improves your situation and promotes your mental wellbeing.
5. Find some other work to do
Idleness is the root of all overthinking, usually. Whenever you are engaged in some work, the chances of unwanted thoughts troubling you are less. Switch to a job or paint a picture, write a poem or play an instrument maybe. This would make you happy and help you shrug off all negativity. That’s how you beat out overthinking and relax.
Also read: 5 Simple Hacks to Stop Overthinking
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Damayanti Dubey is a final year English major at Loreto College, Kolkata. She is a writer by passion and loves to indulge in languages, especially English, Bengali, and Urdu. She aims at exploring all of their intricacies and nuances. Damayanti is a disciple of Padma Bhushan Pandit Ajoy Chakraborty and is a national scholar of Indian classical music. She has always believed that a sound mind, free from the clutches of regressive and negative thoughts is the key to living a healthy life and makes efforts to promote mental wellness through the power of her words.
Damayanti believes in thinking beyond boundaries.