Have you ever been caught in a cycle of endless thoughts, unable to escape the what-ifs and worst-case scenario predictions? If so, you might be caught in the trap of overthinking.
In this episode, psychologist Noluthando Javu from Johannesburg speaks about the causes of overthinking, its impact on our daily lives, and strategies to break free from its grip.
“The most common symptoms of overthinking are self-criticism and a lot of worry and anxiousness,” she says.
Causing stress, anxiety, distrust
“Another common one is replaying situations in your head. So something happens, and you keep on thinking about the same situation over and over again, and you’re analysing that situation with the intention of almost finding something wrong with it.”
Javu notes that overthinking can further cause a lot of stress, affect your daily life, show up in your relationships, and you’ll end up lacking trust in the people around you.
“Constantly jumping to conclusions or assuming the worst are signs of overthinking. You are fearful of how people are going to react to the things that you do.”
Javu advises having a lot more self-awareness and knowing exactly what situations trigger you the most to manage overthinking.
“Before we even think about going to therapy, I would suggest identifying interpersonal skills that you think you need to work on. If you are self-critical, then you need to work on your self-confidence and your self-control.
“If overthinking is taking a toll on you, please reach out to your professional to get help, but even talking to the people around you, sometimes it’s knowing that you’re not alone and that people can see what you’re going through as well.”
In this episode, Javu also discusses:
- The signs of overthinking.
- How overthinking impacts health, relationships, and daily life.
- Strategies to manage overthinking.
Listen to the full interview on the Health For Mzansi podcast:
Spotify: Click here to listen on Spotify (all mobile and other devices).
Apple Podcasts: Click here to listen on any Apple device.
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