Why Does The Brain Really Overthink Things? Knowing Is The Weapon To Stop It

The worst part about overthinking is that we’re often aware that we’re doing it, and yet we don’t know how to stop it. Instead of not overthinking, we end up overthinking more about the fact that we’re overthinking. In order to figure out how to stop, we must first understand why we’re doing it in the first place.

Sure there’s usually an underlying reason that is causing us some anxiety, but underneath that reason, there is a pattern and an explanation for the brain’s overthinking mentality.

It Learned It Had To To Survive As A Child

Annie Spratt / Unsplash

Annie Spratt / Unsplash

Not everyone was blessed enough to have a stable and happy childhood. For many overthinkers, this habit formed when they were still very young. Their brain had to learn to adapt quickly to stressful and difficult situations that most children wouldn’t need to worry about. The brain learned that it always has to be on high alert and ready to find solutions, so it stayed in a defense mode.

This makes it worry obsessively about things that haven’t even happened yet in order to be perapred for the worst-case scenario. It’s a way to protect itself.