or “ What if I get sick ?” While having these thoughts is normal , it becomes a problem when you focus only on the worst-case scenario . For every ‘ what if ’ worry , change this to an ‘ if then ’ statement where you come up with a ‘ then I will do / say ’ if that ‘ what if ’ or even worst-case scenario does happen .
Challenge your negative thoughts . You may think your boss hates you or you ’ ll never reach your fitness goals . Instead of letting those negative thoughts take over , challenge and reframe them into positive , empowering thoughts . Ask yourself “ Is that thought helpful ?” “ What is the evidence that my negative thought is true ? Is there an alternative possibility ?” The goal is to try & have a more balanced perspective .
Distract yourself . Healthy distractions can be helpful , i . e ., meditation , reading , taking a walk , and so on . These can help keep your stress levels down . You can also share your thoughts and feelings with someone you trust , i . e ., friend , family member or therapist .
Practice self-compassion . You probably know how to show compassion to your mother or a friend but what about yourself ? What does your inner dialogue sound like when you face a problem or
challenge ? It ’ s really about being able to extend love , kindness and forgiveness to yourself . In doing so , you can have a clearer mind with which to problem-solve your situation .
When to ask for help . While everyone overthinks sometimes , if you ’ ve been unable to control how much you worry and it starts interfering with your ability to function , it may be time to seek help from a professional . You may also start experiencing physical symptoms like irritability , fatigue , concentration or memory difficulties and insomnia . Excessive worrying and stress can also lead to or intensify digestive issues , plus cause tension in your shoulders and neck .
Sometimes you don ’ t recognize that you ’ re worrying at the time it ’ s happening but with CBT , you learn how to recognize that you ’ re spiraling and having unhelpful ruminations . You can practice writing down your negative thoughts and learn how to challenge and reframe them . In essence , you develop an effective toolkit for coping with overthinking .
If you would like help implementing these tips to address overthinking , please text me at ( 416 ) 805- 6155 or email me at lesley @ timbol . ca so that we can address your ruminations .
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