By Dr AK Srivastava
“Overthinking is the art of creating new problems out of ones that never existed in the first place.” – Anonymous
Today we live in a highly competitive and challenging world full of worries and tensions. As the world attains ever more material success, life invites complicated issues that keep us engaged in overthinking and mental pressure. A good percentage of the population is constantly occupied with exploring solutions to day-to-day problems in life. Children, youth, adults and senior citizens encounter numerous situations in life that keep them busy churning thoughts and trying to fix the problems in their minds. All this causes anxiety, depression, stress and sleeplessness. Our mental health suffers and we fail to take quick and right decisions.
Overthinking ruins you. Ruins the situation, twists things around, makes you worry, and just makes everything much worse than it actually is.” – Karen Salmansohn
Sometimes people are busy over analysing past decisions and events. How and why did things go wrong? Why did I take such a decision? I should have taken the second choice: Such thoughts keep bothering and people feel guilty and depressed. This type of overthinking is termed ‘rumination’. Many of us are victims of this type of thought process that has a far-reaching influence on our mental health. Actually, there is almost no or very little advantage to overthinking about our past. Shakespeare says, “What is done cannot be undone.” But we should always take lessons from our decisions that went wrong in the past. Similarly, always celebrate the right decisions taken at the right time. Robert Frost says, “Two roads diverged in the woods and I took the less travelled one and that made all the difference.”
We often find students and the younger generation victims of this psychological problem. The anxiety about future settlement, procuring suitable employment, promising status and a comfortable life forces them to think excessively. All these issues push them to negative thoughts and mental fatigue. Sometimes even adults and mature people also find themselves caught in this type of thinking process. It is observed that one or two failures or setbacks cause them a lot of worry and their minds get clouded with gloominess. Proper and discreet planning backed by suitable and timely action helps most of us in overcoming such a plight.
Take time to deliberate, but when the time for action has arrived, stop thinking and go in.” -Napoleon Bonaparte
Most of the scholars and thinkers advise us to concentrate on the immediate scenario in our lives. Our past is finished, and it cannot come back. The future depends on our planning, action and hard work in the present. So, the best time to escalate our positive energy is in the present. Instead of getting caught in the trap of overthinking, one should channelise optimum energy and will power to achieve the desired goals in life.
“If you want to conquer overthinking, bring your mind to the present moment and reconnect it with the immediate world.” – Amit Roy
Here it is important to realise that certain things are in our control but many things are not in our control. Success and failures are part and parcel of life. Similarly, criticism is an inevitable component of our social and professional lives. The process of overthinking steals the joys and happiness from our life leaving us less confident. During Covid 19 times, a large number of population experienced anxiety spectrum disorder that pushed them to spend sleepless nights because they imagined a vacuum of uncertainty and helplessness.
It is a good idea to see a psychologist if one is trapped in such a situation. Depression and fear of an unknown and insecure future may break the spirits of many individuals. Hence, the timely intervention of an expert is very much needed. Support of family members, friends, socialising in clubs and attending functions may leave a positive and welcome impact on us.
In conclusion, we can say that overthinking is a psychological problem that ruins many individuals. It causes depression, anxiety, sleeplessness, suicide risk and many more complications. It ruins the career of students and the inner peace of elderly people. We should make all efforts to avoid it and enjoy the company of good friends, hilarious companions and cheerful people. This world is full of wonderful and beautiful things. Stay positive and choose the right, pleasant and lovely ideas and people.
(Dr AK Srivastava is Principal, DAV Intermediate College Dehradun)
