Wondering if you are an overthinker?

Overthinking is common among anxious, perfectionists. It is obsessive thinking or ruminating.

Signs you are an overthinker include:

• second-guessing
• analyzing everything
• catastrophizing or expecting the worst
• insomnia
• trouble making decisions
• avoid decision-making and prefer someone else does it
• regret
• can’t let things go
• take things personally even when they aren’t
• perfectionism
• self-criticism
• self-doubt and never feeling certain
• feeling tense
• feeling like you can’t “turn off” your brain

People who overthink feel like their brains won’t turn off. They are constantly questioning, second-guessing, evaluating. So much so that they create “analysis paralysis”, or the inability to make decisions.

Overthinkers prefer that someone else make decisions. They feel they don’t even have an opinion on small matters such as what they want for dinner. It’s easier for over-thinkers to let someone else decide.

Even after agonizing over choices, overthinkers tend to regret their decisions.

If you have insomnia, overthinking is often the culprit. It’s hard to calm your body and mind when your brain is in hyper-drive.

Does this describe you? If you’re an overthinker, sign-up for the Grow Happiness Newsletter and receive more great free content in your inbox. And also please visit my blog on PsychCentral.com.

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photo from FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Dr. Sharon Martin, LCSW

Sharon Martin, a licensed counselor and psychotherapist in Northern California, specializes in helping adult children of alcoholics and others who struggle with anxiety, perfectionism, and self-criticism. She has a private psychotherapy practice in CA where she is available for online counseling. Sharon is also the author of The CBT Workbook for Perfectionism and write the blog Conquering Codependency for Psychology Today.