
Overthinking, or analysis paralysis, as itâs sometimes known, is the great immobilizer. Your brain goes temporarily out of control and prevents you from making choices, doing things you need to do or even getting out of bed in the morning. There are many ways in which it can accomplish this and ways in which you can fight it.
Night thoughts
When youâre trying to get to sleep and your thoughts keep revolving like a small rodent on an exercise wheel, thatâs what my friends and I call âHamster Brain.â Really, the only way to stifle these thoughts is to get up and do something else. Clean, read, exercise, get your tax documents in order â anything that tires your brain and/or your body. Then try sleeping again.
Random thoughts
Sometimes the oddest thoughts occur at the oddest times. Once it occurred to me that I didnât know whether my passport was up to date. A friend was worried about her childrenâs religious education. If possible, check out whatever has popped into your head. I dug out my passport and saw it was, indeed, up to date. My friend couldnât get an immediate answer, but later received validation that, yes, she had done all right by her boys.
Your every mood
Depression â and particularly bipolar depression â can make you doubt your every mood. Am I just sad, or am I teetering on the edge of a major depressive episode? Do I feel good, or am I just kidding myself? Maybe Iâm trying to cover my depression with a smile. You can analyze your moods until you really donât know what you feel. Look for clues in your life. Did a beloved pet die recently? You may be experiencing reactive depression, not clinical depression. If you feel happy, donât analyze â just go with it!
Your every move
Sometimes it seems you have a little recorder in your brain that keeps a copy of every foolish thing youâve ever done or said, and plays them back at unexpected moments. Most people I know with depression experience this and end up beating themselves up over events long-gone. It may be a comfort to know that, with time and proper treatment, the recording machine goes away, or at least plays back your words and actions less often. If you notice that happening, it is a sign of healing.
Decisions
Making decisions, especially important ones, is a hallmark of analysis paralysis. Weighing choices can be difficult for anyone. Depression can cloud your thoughts and make it even more difficult. Should I use what energy I have to meet friends for coffee? Should I tell my employer about my depression? Should I take a full-time job? For life-altering decisions, careful thought, not overthinking, is needed. Make a list of pros and cons. Talk to a trusted friend about the situation.
If what you canât decide is less earth-shattering, use a simpler solution. Flip a coin. Draw a number out of a hat. Anything to make the decision for you. If you do that, youâll quickly discover if thatâs the choice you really want.
The good and the badÂ
Overthinking often comes down to deciding what is good for you and what is bad for you. At times like these, focus on your mental state. Will this career decision make my depression worse? Is this spending decision really my hypomania talking? The question you need to ask may be âHow do I feel about this?â rather than âWhat do I think?â
Going off on a tangent
Once in a while, you may be thinking about one thing, only to have your brain flit to something else and start obsessing about it. I once heard a metaphor regarding mindfulness and meditation: When you find your thoughts wandering off-track, imagine them as a puppy that wants to wander off. Gently corral it and pull it back. Then go back to what you were originally thinking about. It may be necessary to do this several times until the âpuppyâ gets the idea and doesnât wander off.
Iâm often subject to analysis paralysis. Itâs been said that I have a third-degree blackbelt in overthinking. I like to think, though, that I get into such traps less often now, or at least get out of them more quickly. Really, overthinking adds nothing good to your life and mental well-being â indeed, it detracts from them. For many of us, overthinking is sometimes inevitable. Developing a few techniques to deal with such thoughts can be a blessing.
source https://www.programage.com/news/How_I_Fight_Back_Against_Overthinking_With_Bipolar_Depression_1601136020015553.html
0 commentaires:
Enregistrer un commentaire