Stuck in a thought spiral? Here's how to break the loop
Overthinking often mimics problem-solving but is actually a trap. 'It often resembles finding solutions, but most times, it fuels stress and leaves you trapped and cluttered emotionally,' Bhavya Shah, psychologist at Saifee Hospital, Mumbai, tells India Today.This process eventually leads to procrastination, second-guessing, and seeking external validation, usually a sign of lacking confidence in your own judgement.This constant mental stimulation affects more than your thoughts; it messes with your sleep, focus, and even relationships. And when your mind's exhausted, stress only piles up further.The bottleneck effectExperts note that overthinking creates mental bottlenecks. How exactly? When you dwell on something too long, your brain keeps processing the same thoughts, leaving little room for anything new. The decision-making process slows down, opportunities might slip away, and personal growth gets stifled.
Ruminating too much can affect personal growth (Photo: Pexels)
While some get stuck in the past ruminating over mistakes, regrets, or negative feedback, others over-plan for a future that hasn't even happened. But thinking ahead is often useful, excessive anticipation can be paralysing. There's a thin line between being careful and being consumed. As Bhavya Shah puts it, "If your thinking leads to action or peace, that's good thinking. If it leads to more worry or paralysis, that's overthinking."Chaos to clarityAddressing overthinking isn't about shutting your brain down. It's about managing it smartly. Shah shares a few strategies to cope:Do a brain dump: Write down everything on your mind and let it out of your head and onto paper.Set a worry window: Give yourself 15-20 minutes to worry. Once the time's up, shift your attention.Use your senses: Listen to music, take a walk, splash cold water on your face. Ground yourself in your body.Talk it out: Say it out loud to a friend, a therapist, or someone who gets it. Sometimes speaking offers more clarity than silent rumination.It is only human to overthink. Everyone does it. The key lies in mindfully breaking the vicious cycle of overthinking one thought at a time.- EndsTrending Reel
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