{"id":8088,"date":"2023-10-11T21:37:47","date_gmt":"2023-10-11T14:37:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=8088"},"modified":"2023-10-11T21:37:47","modified_gmt":"2023-10-11T14:37:47","slug":"how-overthinking-functions-as-a-form-of-avoidance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=8088","title":{"rendered":"How Overthinking Functions as a Form of Avoidance"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"article-franchise outlines-corners relative p-[20px] mt-[30px] sm:flex sm:items-start sm:flex-row\" style=\"min-height:106.86114352392px\">\n<div class=\"article-franchise__text text-default mt-[10px] text-center inline sm:inline-block sm:mt-0 sm:text-left\"> <span class=\"italic text-gray\">At Well+Good, we spend our days talking to and learning from the most interesting people in wellness\u2014experts, thought-leaders, and celebrities. Now, we\u2019re inviting you to join the conversation. Welcome to the Well+Good podcast, your guide to finding the habits and practices that fit your frequency.<\/span><span> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/well-good-podcast\/\" target=\"\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/well-good-podcast\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Read More<\/a><\/span> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>It may not come as a surprise that an estimated <a href=\"https:\/\/news.umich.edu\/most-women-think-too-much-overthinkers-often-drink-too-much\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/news.umich.edu\/most-women-think-too-much-overthinkers-often-drink-too-much\/\">73 percent of adults aged 25 to 35 years<\/a> overthink. This period of life comes with so many key choice points about our partnerships, careers, families, and friendships. And in 2023, there is also so much happening on a collective level that warrants our worry: a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/climate-change-issue-2023\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/climate-change-issue-2023\/\">climate in peril<\/a>, a coordinated <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/state-of-abortion-access\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/state-of-abortion-access\/\">assault on our reproductive rights<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/racial-healing-wellness-practice\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/racial-healing-wellness-practice\/\">racial injustice and violence<\/a>, to name just a few things.<\/p>\n<p>Most of the advice we get about overthinking is targeting <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/how-to-stop-overthinking\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/how-to-stop-overthinking\/\">how to stop it<\/a>. But as a therapist, I\u2019ve found that our internal experiences tend to rage on if we just try to get rid of them rather than pay attention to and understand them\u2014a subject I recently discussed on an <a href=\"https:\/\/clicks.trx-hub.com\/xid\/leafgroup_ca5e0_wellgood?q=https%3A%2F%2Fshop-links.co%2F1822172925164330557%3Fu1%3DSTMSLS-1122067&amp;p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wellandgood.com%2Foverthinking-as-avoidance%2F&amp;event_type=click\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/exploring-overthinking\/id1557769801?i=1000630938574\" data-type=\"affiliateLink\">episode of <em>The Well+Good Podcast<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><iframe style=\"width: 100%; max-width: 660px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px;\" src=\"https:\/\/embed.podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/exploring-overthinking\/id1557769801?i=1000630938574\" height=\"175\" frameborder=\"0\" sandbox=\"allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation\" allow=\"encrypted-media\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>While overthinking is clearly very common, it can also be distressing and prevent us from feeling ease within ourselves and about our life choices. Let\u2019s examine how we can identify when it\u2019s happening, what it might be attempting to help us do, and how it might be getting in the way of us living with less worry.<\/p>\n<p><figure id=\"attachment_1122083\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1122083\" style=\"width: 1170px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1122083 js-inline-lazy-load\" alt=\"lia avellino headshot\" width=\"1170\" height=\"559\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Editorial-Podcast-Episode-135-Inset_falsexfalse_true_70.webp\"\/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1122083\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo: Courtesy of Lia Avellino \/ W+G Creative<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<h2>What is overthinking really about?<\/h2>\n<p>There are many reasons why people tend to overthink. It may be a coping mechanism that you learned in childhood, when the world around you felt too overwhelming; you went up in your head to try to find refuge and distraction from the chaos. Overthinking may have also helped you achieve success, if you spent a lot of time thinking through obstacles and how to overcome them. Or it may have been the strategy you used to stay safe, as you cautiously calculated how to travel the least risky path; after all, our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/how-to-respond-emotional-triggers\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/how-to-respond-emotional-triggers\/\">brains have evolved to worry<\/a> as a mechanism to help keep us safe.<\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content \" style=\"\" data-module-init=\"related-content\" data-module-immediate=\"\" v-cloak=\"\">\n<div class=\"related-content__wrapper \" v-cloak=\"\" :class=\"{'is-loaded':isLoaded}\">\n<p> <span class=\"inline pr-6 text-seafoam-dark\">Related Stories<\/span> <\/p>\n<p> <related-content class=\"related-content__links\" parent-article-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/overthinking-as-avoidance\/\" current-title=\"A Surprising Psychological Reason Why You Tend To Overthink? Your Brain Is Trying To Avoid Something\" current-image=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Editorial-Podcast-Episode135-425x285_418x278_true_70.webp\" v-on:parsely-posts-loaded=\"onPostsLoaded\" start-date=\"2023-04-11\" tag=\"div\" inline-template=\"\" url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/overthinking-as-avoidance\/\" secret=\"w5ztterVB03LGZJLfXS0hf3EvQBuFFIWew9hmVQxthU\" apikey=\"wellandgood.com\" limit=\"3\"> <\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"related-content__card mb-[10px] sm:mb-[20px]\" :class=\"{'related-content__card--full':posts.length === 1}\" v-for=\"(post, key) in posts\"> <a v-on:click.prevent=\"trackLinkGA($event, key)\" :href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/overthinking-as-avoidance\/post.url\" data-url-source=\"related-content\" class=\"related-content__link\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"\"> <\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content__card--image bg-tan\" :style=\"{ backgroundImage: 'url(' + post.image_url + ')' }\"> <img decoding=\"async\" :src=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/overthinking-as-avoidance\/post.image_url\" :alt=\"post.title\" class=\" js-inline-lazy-load\" src=\"\"\/> <\/div>\n<p> <\/a>  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <\/related-content> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>No matter the cause, overthinking is a function of worry. You may overthink something you said because you\u2019re <em>worried<\/em> about being disliked. You may overthink about a work project before submitting it because you\u2019re worried it won\u2019t be good enough. This often manifests as excessive rumination: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/stopping-obsessive-thoughts\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/stopping-obsessive-thoughts\/\">constant thoughts or questions<\/a> that are hard to silence, moving through your mind at a fast pace.<\/p>\n<p>Though persistent, overthinking typically has a good intention; it maintains the underlying belief that if we think harder or longer on something, we will eventually find the perfect solution that will bring us to peace.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Overthinking can help us avoid certain difficult experiences by making us believe that we can think our way out of a problem or nervous system state.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>For this reason, one way I view overthinking is as a prevention or avoidance tactic, meaning that the thoughts keep us from being aware of other parts of our experience. Overthinking can help us avoid certain difficult experiences by making us believe that we can think our way out of a problem or nervous system state. Below are a few different ways that overthinking can manifest as avoidance, and how to identify them in action.<\/p>\n<h2>How overthinking often works as an avoidance tactic<\/h2>\n<h3>Overthinking prevents body awareness<\/h3>\n<p>When we are in our heads, we are often not feeling what\u2019s happening in our bodies. For example, if I am excessively wondering about if my partner is cheating on me, this rumination might actually be <em>helping<\/em> me to avoid the heart palpitations I am experiencing, the fear of being rejected, or the pain of being betrayed.<\/p>\n<p>Sometimes, by trying to find an answer in our minds, we actually bypass the truth that exists in our bodies. In this way, overthinking can be a method for avoidance of inner feelings and fears.<\/p>\n<h3>Overthinking prevents us from feeling out of control<\/h3>\n<p>If we believe that we can think our way into an answer, we may also believe that we are capable of finding a solution and fixing the problem\u2014even if that\u2019s not actually feasible. Trying to have control over an outcome can be an attempt to stop the anxiety we are experiencing around it. For example, we might have a sick parent and spend countless hours researching their condition to avoid feeling the sadness or fear about them being sick.<\/p>\n<h3>Overthinking prevents us from feeling imperfect<\/h3>\n<p>When we are concerned about our ability to \u201cget it right,\u201d we tend to spend a lot of time thinking about it. We want to be sure to analyze every angle and anticipate unforeseen pitfalls in order to protect ourselves from rejection or the feelings associated with \u201cgetting it wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Many over-thinking perfectionists tend to be procrastinators because of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/perfectionism-procrastination-loop\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/perfectionism-procrastination-loop\/\">extensive analysis process they engage in to avoid their imperfectness<\/a>. When we are procrastinating by overthinking, we are not really avoiding a task or an activity; we are avoiding the emotional experience of potentially failing at the activity.<\/p>\n<h3>Overthinking prevents us from being in conflict<\/h3>\n<p>Sometimes when we are deliberating for a long period of time, we are storing our distress instead of expressing it. We do this because we are afraid of the conflict, break-up, or discord that it might create when the truth is out of our bodies and in the world. We accept internal discord in exchange for external \u201cpeace\u201d (or lack of real talk). In this case, it can be helpful to ask yourself: How do I feel about making this trade-off?<\/p>\n<p><em>Wondering how to address these contributing factors to overthinking without just outright suppressing those thoughts? Listen to the <a href=\"https:\/\/clicks.trx-hub.com\/xid\/leafgroup_ca5e0_wellgood?q=https%3A%2F%2Fshop-links.co%2F1822172925164330557%3Fu1%3DSTMSLS-1122067&amp;p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wellandgood.com%2Foverthinking-as-avoidance%2F&amp;event_type=click\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/exploring-overthinking\/id1557769801?i=1000630938574\" data-type=\"affiliateLink\">full podcast episode here<\/a> for my additional insights.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1675549\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>At Well+Good, we spend our days talking to and learning from the most interesting people in wellness\u2014experts, thought-leaders, and celebrities. Now, we\u2019re inviting you to join the conversation. Welcome to the Well+Good podcast, your guide to finding the habits and practices that fit your frequency. Read More It may not come as a surprise that &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":8089,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8088","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8088","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8088"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8088\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/8089"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8088"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8088"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8088"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}