Overthinking disorder: Are you stuck in the web of rumination?

Overthinking disorder is not a formal diagnosis, but that does not mean that we should take it lightly. Rumination, overthinking disorder and constant worrying are very common among people with a history of traumatic experience, mental health issues and neurodivergence.

The way in which the brain works, due to the way it develops, it has to be on constant high alert. In this state, we feel overstimulated, hypervigilant and are in a state of constant underlying anxiety and worry.

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Is overthinking a mental illness?

Overthinking may be associated to mental illness. (Image via Unsplash/Muhmed Alaa)

Overthinking can be associated to other mental health issues, like anxiety, major depressive disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder.

However, it's not a disorder in itself. It's important to not overly pathologise yourself for engaging in overthinking. While, it's completely typical for you to seek help for it, you must also know that it's a typical human experience.

However, that's not to say that it will not have an influence on your mental well-being. If not regulated, overthinking may become indicative of an underlying concern.

Like any other concern, if you find that it's interfering with your everyday functioning or causing you significant distress, try to seek out help. You can start with some introspection.

Since when have you been feeling like this? Are there specific instances when your overthinking becomes heightened?

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What are the signs of overthinking?

How do you identify the signs? (Image via Freepik)

Overthinking symptoms lie on a continuum but are generally of three types. Your thoughts could be associated with something from the past - it can be a person, thin or experience that keeps you stuck in the past - which is known as rumination.

Sometimes, the thoughts are in the form of thoughts primarily about the future. These manifest as worries and are typically identified as anxious thoughts. The key feature of overthinking is that it keeps us away from the present. It will either take us to the future of take us to the past.

For some, the overthinking disorder may be a result of intrusive thoughts. That's characteristic of OCD, in which an individual is bogged down with obsessions and compulsions. Depending on the type of overthinking disorder, you may be advised different modalities of treatment.

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What do I do if I have overthinking disorder?

What do you do when your overthinking disorder brings you down? (Image via Vecteezy/Federico Caputo)

It can be awful to be a chronic worrier, exhausting and tiring. You want so desperately to wake up and have a good day, or do something you enjoy. However, there's that nagging worry plaguing you from the moment you open your eyes in the morning (if you even get a chance to shut them!).

Self soothing behaviours are helpful ways to reduce overthinking. Tools like meditation, exercise, nature, reading, writing - they can make sure that you don't turn to more self damaging behaviors. Y

ou can build your own tool kit. For instance, you might find being around people, medication or therapy more useful - there is no right or wrong answer to dealing with overthinking disorder.

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The moot point is that overthinking takes a toll on your health: it contributes to our already existing illnesses and can cause a whole heap of new ones, so it's crucial that you learn to self soothe.

If you think that your rumination or worries have turned into an overthinking disorder, there's no shame in seeking help for the same.

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Janvi Kapur is a counselor with a Master's degree in applied psychology with a specialization in clinical psychology.

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