Thinking too much - consequences

Thinking too much can lead to an imbalance, so when you find yourself doing it try to stop and remember that everything that’s overwhelming you is only in your mind.
Thinking too much - consequences

Last update: 15 December, 2022

There are lots of people who think too little and plenty of others who think too much. Neither end of the spectrum is positive, as thinking too much can have dire consequences.

Are you the kind of person who always overthinks everything that happens to you? Have you ever laid awake in bed because you couldn’t stop thinking? Thinking too much can become your worst enemy, so it’s important that from now on you understand this negative habit a little better.

Thinking too much keeps you from experimenting

People who think too much spend more time in their mind than living in reality. Thanks to inertia, they spend all their time thinking because they believe it’s something they can’t escape from.

A wind up woman

There are plenty of people who take refuge in their thoughts and live out true adventures in their minds. What happens in real life? Why not practice what’s in your mind? In reality, their lives may be very boring and they don’t experience anything interesting because they don’t dare act on their thoughts. Maybe they’re afraid to. But what are they afraid of?

The act of thinking too much means that you continually avoid thinking about the here and now. No doubt you’re dealing with some memories from your past and dream of a promising future. Do you know this doesn’t make sense?

In some cases, it might be due to past traumas that don’t let you move forward. They left marked a mark behind, on your subconscious. According to this research carried out by Dr. César Carvajal and published in the Revista Chilena de Neuropsiquiatría.

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Above all, thinking too much keeps you from living your life – it’s just a passive act. The important thing is to know how to take what’s spinning around in your mind and turn it into real life, into true experiences.

Thinking too much – thoughts and worries

People who think too much have another big problem that plagues most people today: worries. When you think too much, it’s because you’re worried about something, be it your past, your future, your current situation, or those who are around you. All of this pulls you into a vortex it can be difficult to escape from.

Sometimes you may not realize it, but you worry about the things you shouldn’t pay any attention to. It could be that your insecurities are the cause of all this due to related problems, again, to your past and how you managed certain relationships. This, according to this study by Universidad de Salamanca.

The inner conflict of human beings

Have you ever relived an event over and over again in your mind? Maybe it was a story you told a friend or a situation that ended with someone getting angry. You go back through that scenario again and again, thinking about what other outcomes you could have had.

It’s useless to revive the past, however, because you can’t change it. This is why worrying about what you’ve done before is useless. The smart thing to do is to focus on the present and move on.

Tips to stop thinking so much

If you’re constantly analyzing your entire life, every interaction, or each step you take, now is the time to stop.

To do this, we have some tips that can help you in those times when you feel like it’s impossible to put a stop to your thoughts:

Talk to a friend

This can help you avoid letting your mind wander without direction. Talk about your concerns to rid yourself of doubt and avoid overthinking a situation that probably doesn’t deserve to occupy so much of your mind.

In addition, communication is essential for us to learn to develop our social skills. At least according to this research conducted by Universidad Nacional del Altiplano in Peru.

Write down your thoughts

Keeping a diary can be very beneficial for letting off steam and expressing what you feel. This way you can free yourself from all those thoughts that overwhelm you, and you will even see them from another perspective.

Distract yourself

You can do this by doing something you like or trying a new activity that interests you. Staying distracted will help you stop focusing on all the things that are spinning around in your mind. Sometimes people think too much because they have too much free time.

Be aware and repeat to yourself “stop it!”

If you know that you can’t stop thinking about something that worries you, tell yourself “enough!” This way you will force yourself to focus on something else and get out of that loop you’ve gotten trapped in.

A woman covering her eyes.

Have you ever caught yourself thinking too much? Sometimes it’s easy to give things a lot more attention than they actually deserve. If a friend doesn’t talk to you as often as before, if you think they’re looking down on you, it could just be your imagination. Try not to overthink things that don’t deserve your concern.

This is because, sometimes, it’s all in your mind.


This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.