Can you stop yourself from over-thinking something?
 

Anyone else get that? Where something happens in a day and you then proceed to stress out about it for the whole evening / into the night.

I'm not talking about big things, just silly things, annoying things, stressful work related things, etc.

How do you manage to distract yourself? I try and do other things and I do manage to forget for a while but then when I try to go to sleep or forget that I'm trying not to think / stress out about it my mind starts going again.

I wish my brain had an off button sometimes!

Re: Can you stop yourself from over-thinking something?
 

Thats the definition of mental hyperactivity IMO

Re: Can you stop yourself from over-thinking something?
 

NOonce those wheels get turning it often leads to severe anxiety:( Ive gotten to the point of telling myself let it go david just let it gowhats gonna happen is gonna happen.

Re: Can you stop yourself from over-thinking something?
 

I get like that too!! Everyday...I overthink everything, can't make a decision because I keep evaluating the alternatives....not good. Too much leads to anxiety. I haven't figured out what to do about it...when I was on Tramadol for pain it shut off the "inner voice" and I felt in peace.

Re: Can you stop yourself from over-thinking something?
 

It's horrible huh.

It's now 2:30am and I have to be at work tomorrow for another hectic day and no matter how much I try to go to sleep my mind just won't shut off.

And that's how most of my nights go no matter how tired I get.

Which in turns makes me less able to manage day to day and feel more anxiety...vicious circle.

If I find someone who's invented a plug-in that switches off thoughts for a while I will let you all know :p

Re: Can you stop yourself from over-thinking something?
 

Yes, it's awful! Let me know if you ever find a solution :) cause not even Klonopin, ashwaganhda, lemon balm or theanine help with that.....

Re: Can you stop yourself from over-thinking something?
 

Before I went and got actual help I was seeing a holistic therapist who claimed I just needed to "train my mind" to be quiet and that it is possible to keep your mind silent sometimes but I wasn't working hard enough to do it.....what a failure I felt!

Re: Can you stop yourself from over-thinking something?
 

Yup. All the time. If I don't take my meds (assuming I don't just daydream all day and accomplish as little as I can get away with..these types of days are fun holidays) I get really anxious from over thinking everything. Everything. By the time that balls starts rolling there's no stopping it. Someone could smile at me and I'll start wondering what they meant by that smile. I could get a delayed email and I'll think the person is furious. I'll get anxiety anytime anyone says hi.

By the time I get home I've worn myself thin and anything anyone says is not going to register and I'll just space and stare blankly. I'll either retreat to daydreaming and if anyone interrupts that I'll get cranky. Or I'll continue to focus on it all night.

Re: Can you stop yourself from over-thinking something?
 

Yeah, that's why I gave up trying to be a Buddhist. :cool: I came to terms long ago I'll never reach enlightenment.

Re: Can you stop yourself from over-thinking something?
 

Zevispak - you've no idea how reassuring it is to hear that it's not just me that is like that.

You managed to summarize much better than me what my days go like. Am waiting to start medication.

Re: Can you stop yourself from over-thinking something?
 

hehe...me too...peace and harmony are not words usually associated with me!

Re: Can you stop yourself from over-thinking something?
 

Yes, just don't drink caffeine with them. I was worried about a meeting one time, so I got no sleep. Took my meds, still sleepy. Drank caffeine, and omg my heart was going to fly out of my chest.

It was the weirdest sensation. I felt ok in my brain like the meeting was no biggie, but then I felt all the effects of anxiety, like stomach churning, heart racing, stomach dropping at every noise. It wasn't just a pure physical sensation either, all my anxiety triggers still went off like. It was like all my anxiety x10, but without the obsessing thoughts to accompany it. I wasn't even worried about how I probably look, because I knew logically no one could see what was going on inside me. So people would say hi, and I'd feel a huge spike of anxiety but then I was calm enough in my brain to have a normal conversation. I can't even describe how odd it was. Anyway... no more ice coffee on meds. :eek:

Re: Can you stop yourself from over-thinking something?
 

Sounds unpleasant! Although at least the anxious thoughts weren't there. I'm hoping I won't have so much need for caffeine once on proper medication

Re: Can you stop yourself from over-thinking something?
 

Well, I can't speak for everyone, but once I was medicated (after the coffee debacle). I went from 9+ cups of tea and an ice coffee an 8 hour day down to just one cup of tea in the morning and maybe one in the afternoon. I just don't crave it anymore (I don't crave junk food either). I was mostly drinking it to wake my brain up, and once my brain was awake there was no reason to keep drinking caffeine.

Re: Can you stop yourself from over-thinking something?
 

I obsess and worry about things over and over too so dont feel bad.

I dont do it as bad when i am medicated.

Alot of times i will play conversations or things over and over in my head trying to think what i could have done different or said different.