How to Stop Overanalyzing Everything

Hi, I'm Dr. Andrea Zorbas, a psychologist from Therapy Now SF.

Let's talk about overanalyzing and it's sometimes called rumination. When your thoughts keep spinning in circles, often makes you feel more anxious, instead of more clear. Today, let's look at why this happens and what you can do to calm it down.

So first off, why do we overanalyze? So it often comes from anxiety, perfectionism, or fear of making mistakes. And what's happening is the brain is trying to solve problems, but it ends up actually creating more stress. What is the impact of overthinking? It leads to decision paralysis, and you avoid choices because none actually feel safe enough. it also damages your self-confidence because you're constantly second guessing yourself. Lastly, it keeps you focused on the past, or even on the future, but not on the present, which is what we want.

So next, here are some practical strategies to break that cycle. So first you want the awareness piece. Notice when you get caught in these loops. Next, you're gonna want grounding tools. So use your senses or breath to bring yourself back to that present moment, and then you can time box your thinking.

So set a timer for five to 10 minutes and then redirect. You are gonna wanna shift your perspective. So ask yourself: "Will this matter in a week? In a month? How about a year?" Lastly, you're gonna wanna take action. So even small steps forward, reduce mental spinning. So how can therapy help you ?

Learn cognitive behavioral strategies to reframe unhelpful thoughts, and build your confidence so you can make decisions and move forward with less fear.

So overanalyzing can feel like being trapped in your own head, but you don't have to stay there. With practice, and sometimes with the supportive therapy, you can quiet the noise, trust yourself more, and focus on living instead of overthinking.