Am I An Overthinker?

Can’t you get your mind off your worries?

Do you ask yourself many "what if..." questions?

Do you relive embarrassing moments in your head over again?

Do you relive conversations you had with people in your mind and think about the things you wish you had or hadn’t said?

Are you dwelling on things that happened in the past or worrying about things that might happen in the future?

Do you have difficulty sleeping because it feels like your brain won't shut off?

Do you spend a lot of time worrying about things you can’t control?

Do you spend a lot of time thinking about the hidden meaning in things people say or events that happen?

Do you repeatedly relive your mistakes?

Based on your answers, it is unlikely that you are an overthinker. You have got a very big life advantage: your response to being upset or stressed is emotionally healthy. In general, thinking is a good thing, and some people don’t do it enough. However, many people think too much, and these people are considered over-thinkers. Just remember that not everybody is like you. Try to be more compassionate of the people who can’t get over things quickly and over-think everything they do or that happens to them.

Based on your answers, you are displaying some signs of an overthinker. Overthinking is the opposite of effective problem-solving. Overthinking is associated to several psychological problems, including depression and anxiety. It’s a vicious circle: overthinking causes mental health problems, and as your mental health gets worse, the more likely you are to overthink. Therefore, it’s important to solve this issue in order to improve your quality of life. If you feel like you can’t do this on your own, seek help from a mental health professional.

Unfortunately, you are displaying various signs typically seen among individuals who are overthinkers. You may be a chronic overthinker, always thinking about your feelings and life, instead of managing your emotional life effectively. Overthinking is the opposite of effective problem-solving. It ruins relationships, can cause depression, and it takes away motivation. The more you think, the worse you feel. And those feelings of anxiety or anger will cause you to be unable to make normal judgments and will prevent you from taking positive action. It may be useful to talk to your doctor about your problems to understand what you can do to improve your quality of life.