Why "Overthinking" Can Be A Misleading Concept
Channel: Alex Zorach
Date: 12/10/2018

I often hear people tell me or others "You're just overthinking." when they're caught in a negative thought spiral. People often apply this concept to themselves, calling on themselves to "stop over thinking", often in vain.

In this video I explain why this way of thinking about things is often ineffective: the term "overthinking" implies that the problem is that we're thinking about something TOO MUCH, whereas in reality, the problem is usually HOW we're thinking about it.

The solution thus lies not in thinking less or thinking about a certain problem less, but in finding new, more positive, truthful, or empowering ways to think about the situation, or ways to think in general about everything.

In this video I talk about some ways we can do this, including cognitive behavioral therapy. I recommend the books "Feeling Good" and "When Panic Attacks", both by David Burns, for depression and anxiety, respectively. I also talk about how going on walks can benefit. And lastly, I describe how both talking to new people, and journaling, can be useful tools for helping us get into new mindsets.

Next time you hear the word "overthinking", maybe try to steep the discussion in the direction of new ways of thinking, and use language and terms that better communicate this.