Overthinking? Overcome Negative Thinking with Therapy.

Overthinking can lead you down the rabbit hole of despair. Over time, ruminating about negative life experiences can lead to anxiety, depression, and automatic negative thoughts. Learn how online therapy can help you heal so you can be present in the moment.

What is Overthinking?

Do you find yourself thinking about the same thing over and over again, even though you don't want to? Do you worry that your thoughts are out of your control and that they're negatively impacting your life? If so, you may be experiencing intrusive thoughts. Intrusive thoughts are defined as repetitive, persistent, and unwanted thoughts that may be disturbing or distressing. They can cause significant anxiety and distress and can interfere with your daily life if left untreated.

There are many different types of intrusive thoughts, but some common themes include:

  • Worrying about things that could go wrong

  • Reliving past traumas or negative experiences

  • Fixating on perceived flaws or shortcomings

  • Unwanted sexual or violent thoughts.

If you're experiencing intrusive thoughts, it's important to remember that you're not alone. Intrusive thoughts are actually very common, and almost everyone experiences them at some point in their life. The difference between someone who has intrusive thoughts and someone who doesn't is that people with intrusive thoughts tend to get "stuck" on them, and they can't seem to let go. This can lead to significant anxiety and distress.

What causes intrusive thoughts?

There is no one single cause of intrusive thoughts. However, there are certain factors that may increase your vulnerability to them. These include:

  • Stress: Intrusive thoughts are more common during periods of stress, such as after a traumatic event or during times of intense anxiety.

  • Obsessive-compulsive tendencies: People with OCD tend to be more focused on orderliness and control, which can make them more vulnerable to intrusive thoughts.

  • Perfectionism: People who are perfectionists may be more likely to experience intrusive thoughts because they are constantly trying to meet unrealistic standards.

There are different ways of thinking that can make intrusive thoughts worse. These unhealthy thinking styles include:

Catastrophizing: This is when you think of the worst possible outcome of a situation and believe it is inevitable.

Jumping to conclusions: This is when you make assumptions about what others are thinking or feeling without any evidence.

Magnifying: This is when you blow things out of proportion and make them seem bigger than they really are.

Minimizing: This is when you downplay the importance of something or someone.

Overgeneralizing: This is when you draw broad conclusions from limited evidence.

All-or-nothing thinking: This is when you see things in black-and-white terms and believe there are only two options: success or failure, good or bad.

Mental filter: is only paying attention to certain types of evidence by focusing on a detail that match the evidence you are seeking.

Disqualifying the positive: is dismissing positive information, by ‘writing off ’ positive events as a ‘insignificant’ or saying that they don’t count.

Emotional reasoning: is a process of taking one’s emotions as evidence of the truth. By believing if you feel something it must be true.

Mind Reading: Believing you know what someone else is thinking or why they are doing something without evidence.

Setting the bar too high: Thinking you must be perfect in everything you do. When you do not meet these unrealistic expectation you feel inadequate or not good enough.

Signs you suffer from intrusive thoughts?

  1. Constantly worry about making mistakes or doing something wrong?

  2. Avoid people or situations that trigger your anxiety.

  3. Feel like you have to do things perfectly in order to be accepted?

  4. Have a hard time letting go of thoughts or ideas?

  5. Spend a lot of time second-guessing yourself.

  6. Allow your thoughts to control your behavior.

If you answered yes to any of the above, you may be suffering from intrusive thoughts. Intrusive thoughts can be debilitating, but there are treatment options available. If you think you may be struggling with intrusive thoughts, please reach out for help. Most people experience intrusive thoughts from time to time and they are not necessarily a sign of anxiety. However, if they are frequent, persistent, and distressing, they may be indicative of an underlying problem that needs to be addressed. Counseling for intrusive thoughts typically focuses on reducing anxiety and improving coping skills. If you are struggling with intrusive thoughts, please schedule an appointment online with Licensed Professional Counselors and Certified Clinical Trauma Professional Jennifer L. Hillier M.A. 

Recognizing overthinking:

Identify your triggers: What situations or activities tend to lead to your intrusive thoughts? Once you know what your triggers are, you can try to avoid them or be prepared for them.

  1. Challenge your thoughts: Are your intrusive thoughts really true? Can you think of any evidence that contradicts them? Challenging your thoughts can help you to see them in a more realistic light.

  2. Focus on your breathing: Taking a few deep breaths can help to calm you down and clear your mind.

  3. Talk to someone: Talking to a friend, family member, therapist, or anyone else who will listen can be helpful. It can be difficult to talk about intrusive thoughts, but it can be very relieving to get them off your chest.

Intrusive thoughts can be distressing, but there are things you can do to manage them. If you're struggling to cope with your intrusive thoughts, please seek professional help. A therapist can work with you to identify your triggers and develop coping strategies.

There are many different types of intrusive thoughts, but they all share one common feature:

They are involuntary and often occur in response to stressful situations or triggers.

  • Intrusive thoughts can be about anything, but they often center on themes of violence, harm, or sexual content. Other common themes include dirt, cleanliness, and religion.

  • People with obsessive-compulsive tendencies are especially vulnerable to intrusive thoughts because of the excessive focus on orderliness and control. This can lead to a cycle of constantly trying to suppress unwanted thoughts, which only makes them more intrusive and distressing.

Some common examples of intrusive thoughts include:

  • Violent images or impulses (e.g., harming yourself or others)

  • Sexual images or impulses (e.g., sexual acts that are considered taboo)

  • Thoughts about dirt, germs, or contamination (e.g., becoming contaminated by touching someone or something)

  • Religious images or impulses (e.g., blasphemous thoughts)

  • Excessive focus on orderliness or control (e.g., needing everything to be symmetrical or in perfect order)

These are just a few examples – intrusive thoughts can be about anything that causes anxiety or distress. It’s important to remember that simply having an intrusive thought does not mean you are likely to act on it. In fact, most people have intrusive thoughts from time to time and they do not go on to harm themselves or others. If you feel you have a problem with overthinking schedule an appointment with Jennifer L. Hillier today.

Therapy Designed to Help You Heal and Step Into Your Authentic Self.

You deserve to live a life driven by your passion and purpose, not your emotions. Allow me to help you make the changes you have been longing for. It's time to move on from your past, reclaim your future and step into your authentic self. Imagine a life where you no longer feel controlled by your thoughts, where you freely express yourself with conviction, honor your body, and celebrate all its imperfections. Take your next step confidently in the direction of your dreams, and live the life you have always imagined. Take comfort in knowing that you are no longer in this alone. You are in safe experienced hands now.