LeFerrellV:
Hello all, I have struggled with overthinking for a long time. A lot of things, my first thought is usually right, but somehow I ignore my first thought. Has anybody else had this issue? If so, how do you deal with it? Or how did you over come it?
I deal with something very similar. What helps me most is writing things down. At the end of the day, before going to bed, I jot in my diary everything that’s been on my mind or bothering me.
There’s quite a bit of evidence that writing can be therapeutic—even if it’s just for yourself and you never read it again. Putting thoughts on paper seems to “offload” them. It’s like your mind recognizes, “It’s written down now, I don’t need to keep replaying it. If I need to process more, I can come back and write again.”
That’s been my experience. Writing helps me work through whatever’s bothering me, and I find I think about it less afterward—sometimes not at all. When your mind fixates on something, it’s usually trying to get you to slow down and process it. Writing is a reliable way to do that. Talking it out with a friend or therapist can also be really helpful if that’s an option.
