[5 min read ]
Author: Ramzi Amziane
I applied for a job, and now it's the date for the personal interview. Sitting on hold, ideas attack you: I do not have enough experience, and I will not be able to address their questions, I will definitely be embarrassed, and I will not be able to get this job. Anticipating a negative outcome from something even before the result show up is called Overthinking.
It is not limited to work or study only, but extends to many areas of life.
It is not a disease but a symptom of generalized anxiety disorder
Excessive thinking is not a disease in itself, but rather a symptom of generalized anxiety disorder, and people with this disorder cannot stop their minds from thinking.
Sufferers, and excessive thinking may be one of the main symptoms of general anxiety.As his other symptoms are physical, including nausea, muscle strain, sweating, irritability, shivering, and headache.Anxiety and excessive thinking usually go hand in hand, as excessive thinking is a characteristic of generalized anxiety disorder.An anxious brain always tends to think of negative, dangerous or disturbing things, in different ways.Among the most common characteristics of generalized anxiety disorder is creating scary scenarios of what may happen to us or any of our loved ones, and creating imaginative and brutal consequences for these fantasies.
--Excessive thinking is a state of constant anxiety
People with generalized anxiety disorder feel constant and excessive anxiety about different things and everyday events.They also always expect the worst for their business, family and health, even if there is nothing to worry about at all, and they find it difficult to control their anxiety about these things.They also feel that their anxiety is out of control, although they usually realize that their anxiety is more severe than the situation requires,Their daily lives turn into a state of constant anxiety disproportionate to the situation in which they live, which causes fear for them, and anxiety dominates their thinking, turns it into negative thinking, and interferes in their daily performance, whether in study, work, or social relations.Many people try to plan for control of situations, and they think their anxiety may prevent bad things from happening,So they think that giving up anxiety is risky.
--Genetics also has a role
Perhaps the above may raise our questions about the true cause of generalized anxiety disorder; the cause of this disorder is not fully known.
However, according to the scientific and medical description contained in the study of the disease, there are several factors that may have contributions to its development, such as:
+Genetic factors: According to scientific research published in the medical journal Webmd, the family history of disease plays a role in increasing the likelihood of disease progression; general disease disorder may be inherited by genetics.
+Brain chemistry: generalized anxiety disorder is associated with an abnormal performance of some pathways of nerve cells that connect regions of thinking and emotion in the brain.In the event that the pathways are abnormal, neurotransmitters will not be able to transfer information from one neuron to another, resulting in mood and anxiety problems.
+Environmental factors: Shocks and stressful events may contribute to generalized anxiety disorder. So divorce, the death of a loved one, and exposure to abuse are all causes that may contribute to the aggravation and development of the disorder.The use of addictive substances such as alcohol and caffeine can also exacerbate the problem,Negative experiences may cause excessive thinking
Excessive thinking acts as an inner enemy of a person who opposes it, stimulating it to criticize oneself and reduce its resolve.These internal antagonists are the negative experiences a person experiences early in his life.
For example, if someone said to you when you were young that you are stupid, your mind will restore this voice, chase you with it, and it may push you to a bad and destructive path,This type of excessive thinking may be related to depression and possibly suicide in some worsening cases.
--And depression is one of its dangers
Excessive thinking may lead to depression. According to a study conducted at "Harvard University", rumination or negative thinking is a serious factor that can lead to the onset of symptoms of severe depression and anxiety,Another study conducted by researchers at "Aarhus University" in Denmark demonstrated that those who suffer from excessive thinking cannot get enough sleep, because rumination and anxiety may lead to fewer hours of sleep.
--How do I overcome it then?
One of the most prominent signs of excessive thinking is rumination, which means thinking about things that have happened in the past again and again in a negative way,Your mind can call a situation or conversation what happened last night or years ago, and yet don't stop thinking about it.
To overcome the recall of the past and think about it, ask yourself if there is anything you can do about it now.
For example, can you go to someone to ask why he did this, or why did he address you this word years ago?Mostly you will not be able to do anything, so you have to accept that this is a past event in the past, and you will not be able to change it, so leave it alone, and focus on other things that enable you to change your life for the better.
Also among the signs is that you do not interact with others despite being with them.If you focus more on your thoughts than the person in front of you, you have excessive thinking.To get rid of this, tame yourself to focus on the person in front of you, listen to what he says, and direct your attention to some other things so that you can get out of the circle of thoughts in your head.
If thoughts attack you at bedtime, or wake you up in the middle of the night, this may make you not sleep enough.By doing this you become stressful, angry, and reduce your focus, which has a negative impact on your productivity, jobs and relationships.And you can overcome this symptom by setting aside some time every evening before you go to sleep to write down the things you think about, and this may clean your head before sleep.If negative thoughts dominate you as questions what if? This prevents you from moving on with your life, as all scenarios go for the worst and cause you to fear.
To overcome this pattern, breathe deeply and orderly, and challenge your ideas rationally.
Determine what hinders you, and what steps you can take to overcome your problems, and you may discover that things are not as bad as your thoughts and feelings have shown.
--Other auxiliary exercises
There are a few simple practices that you can follow by reducing negative thinking and excessive thinking patterns:
First: You have to pay attention to the way you think, when you notice that thoughts roam in your head again and again, and that you worry about things that you cannot control, so acknowledge that your thoughts are negative and unproductive.
Second: As long as you realize the truth of your ideas, you should now turn away from them, shift your focus to thinking about how to learn from your mistakes, or avoid a future problem, instead of asking useless questions about something that went ahead.
Third: Set a time for your thinking to avoid excessive thinking, meaning that you put in your daily schedule about half an hour during which you think about everything you want, and of course it is possible that you will be anxious and negative thinking, so return to the previous two steps. But if you notice that you are thinking about negative things outside the time that you set, cut your thinking off immediately, and remind yourself that there is an appointment for thinking.
Fourth: Be sure that it is impossible to change the past, or reformulate the past according to what you want, so there is no point in thinking about it.
Fifth: If you cannot stop thinking, or change it, all you have to do is distract your mind from bad thoughts.
You can then do any physical activity and think about it, or focus on any instrument in the room and think about it, and you can also talk to friends and close friends.
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