Published In
Psychology
7 Quick Ways To Stop Overanalyzing Everything All The Time
It could be exhausting to constantly think about the intentions of others or their motive when they do something for us. I know I think – or more like overanalyze – every word, every action, every gesture a hundred times over until I find myself spiraling downwards in negative thinking.
And that’s not all we overanalyze. From spiritual signs to physical ones, we are capable of overanalyzing things that are not meant to be thought over so much.
When you’re constantly in a state of hyper-alertness and analysis, it can only increase your paranoid thinking, anxiety, and panic. This kind of reaction can overpower your relationships and turn them sour.
Let’s explore what overanalyzing everything looks like, the signs and causes to know, and how you can stop overanalyzing everything all the time.
Overthinking And Overanalyzing: Are They The Same?
Overthinking is when you take one thought and keep thinking about the same thought over and over, however, overanalyzing is when you meticulously pick apart every little intention and motive behind an action until your reasoning behind the action is justified.
A healthy amount of analysis can help you as it gives you the information you need but overanalyzing will do the opposite.
Let’s take an example; If a friend does something nice for you out of the blue, and if you begin to analyze their motive, their intention, and everything behind that good deed, then you’ll find yourself unhealthily overanalyzing.
After a while of overanalyzing, you’re bound to end up exhausted. Now imagine being exhausted by your thinking process. And logically, if your thinking process slows down, how can you be expected to make smart decisions?
So, do you find yourself overanalyzing everything until you end up exhausted or anxious? It’s your overanalyzing brain at work, but don’t fret, we have ways you can stop this. Before we get to them, read on to know the signs and causes of why you overanalyze everything.
Signs You’re Overanalyzing
If you believe that you overanalyze everything, here are some signs to know about;
- You focus on assumptions and hypotheses rather than facts
- You think of many “what if” scenarios
- You struggle with anxious and panicked thoughts
- You get frequent headaches and stomach aches
- You have trouble quieting your mind
- You find yourself gazing into the distance
- You fidget a lot and have many anxious gestures such as rocking back and forth
- You often hyperventilate thinking about something
What Causes You To Overanalyze Everything?
More often than not, overanalyzing is considered a type of self-defensive behavior. It could also be a type of hyper-alertness where you feel the need to analyze every action, every word, and every gesture to filter out any threats.
If you’ve had a traumatic experience then it’s likely that you’ll want to stay alert and wary of everything, so overanalyzing becomes second nature to you.
It’s like you’re constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop, no matter whether the other shoe exists.
This kind of behavior is common in people who grow up in abusive or toxic environments. Any action can be harmful to you. On the other hand, it could be mental health concerns that might drive you’re over analyzing behavior. If you live with anxiety, OCD, or even PTSD, then overanalyzing may be a greater contributor to your behavior than anything else.
Here are some ways you can stop overanalyzing everything all the time.
How To Stop Overanalyzing Everything?
1. Distract Yourself
If you’re plagued by too many thoughts, then try to distract yourself. Rather than thinking or analyzing the thing, again and again, immerse yourself in other activities. Try something new or something that challenges your mind. Just distract yourself. This will help you keep your mind off of things and stay focused on what you can control.
2. Release Restless Energy
When you’re frustrated analyzing things, then it could mean you have a lot of restless energy bundled inside. It’s time to release that, and what’s better than physical exercise?
Physical exercise can help you release your emotions and energy stuck inside and release the tension you’ve built up. You can also try to meditate to settle your mind if you want. Anything that helps you release emotions and energy.
3. Stop Looking For More
More often than not, we overanalyze everything because we’re searching for “more” or “hidden signs”. You need to understand that not everything has something more or has a meaning behind it. Sometimes some things just happen. You need to see it, acknowledge it, and then move on. As straightforward as that.
4. Create Closure
Another reason why you may overanalyze everything is that you haven’t gotten closure. It’s also why you keep yourself from finishing that last season of Brooklyn 99! You need to find closure so that you can stop overanalyzing everything and if you don’t get it, create it.
Everything has a loose end that you can tie up; you need to find that. When you get closure, you won’t have a reason to overanalyze the situation or ruminate on it anymore.
5. Avoid Assumptions
To stop overanalyzing everything, you need to learn to avoid assuming things. Sometimes, when you assume things, you automatically drift to think “between the lines”. Instead of making assumptions, ask for clarification. This way you’ll stop the spiral of over-analysis before it begins.
This will also help you make a good rapport with others as they’ll see that instead of assuming, you chose to clear the misunderstanding.
6. Be More Mindful
In this case, overthinking and overanalyzing are the same. When you keep thinking about what will happen, you lose your grasp on reality. You start thinking about things that have not happened yet and might not even happen.
To stop overanalyzing everything, you need to learn to be mindful and stay in the present moment. Think about what’s happening now, instead of worrying about a future that doesn’t exist.
7. Seep Professional Support
Overanalyzing everything all the time can be mentally and emotionally exhausting. It can affect your thinking process and decision-making tool. If you find yourself often overanalyzing everything, then you can try the above ways.
If they don’t help, and you find yourself spiraling into anxiety, then it’s recommended that you speak to a professional for support and help.
Analyzing things can be good where it matters the most, but when you step into overanalyzing overthink and pick apart every action, every gesture, and every word, then it could be a bigger issue.
I hope this article helped you. For more, you can write to us at info@calmsage.com or DM us on social media. You can also share your tips in the comments below.
Take Care!
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