"You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step." – Martin Luther King, Jr.
Overthinking is defined by the GoodRx health as a trait wherein an individual dwells or worries about the same thing over and over again. An article from Kera News also states that often linked to mental health problems like depression and anxiety.
I've had my fair share of overthinking. I was always so terrified of the uncertainties of life. It did not matter to me what aspect of life I was terrified about; it might be overthinking from a slight reaction from my friends or being scared of an exam that I studied for hours.
I never go out without planning and studying before some events. I remember back in high school where I would already plan out what I should wear on a specific outing, where I should eat, how much I should eat, how much money I should bring, how much clothes I had to carry, and then double it to make sure I got everything covered.
In eighth grade, I remember an exam in our biotechnology exam where I studied up until 2 A.M for a SHORT QUIZ because I was scared I might fail at it.
No joke, I thought about not passing the quiz when I planned to sleep, and that's what I only thought about for the rest of the day. After we took the exam, I got the highest score. I was happy, but I was super exhausted 😴 .
Perhaps my biggest demon is the thought of my mother dying. It's something that I constantly worry about every night because she has a severe heart condition, and it might trigger tomorrow, the next month, year; regardless, I'm terrified by the thought of it.
Lessons I've Learned From Overthinking
I wanted to bring this topic up because although overthinking has negatively affected my ability to function, it also has helped me in some aspects of life.
Overthinking made me stay up all night to study for my exams, enabling me to do good in them. We recently had our midterm exams, and I was worried about not passing our Strength of Materials and Differential Equations test because I suck at math.
Tomorrow came, and I absolutely did great at it. I rarely get proud of myself, but at that time, where I could solve every problem on the test, it made me feel so good 😊.
Overthinking has also helped me become a better keeper at things.
I tend to worry about important stuff/documents from time to time like I've experienced suddenly thinking where I put the birth certificate while in bed that I had to look for after waking up the next day.
Now, I've kept a close watch o where my stuff is. In fact, I'm the one keeping the critical documents in our family because I keep them neatly organized, and I always know where it is.
Adding to this, I also know to list every single log-in info on my paper (including my parents) because I'm afraid of losing my phone and losing all the vital information on my cellphone.
Obsessively planning to study things helped me feel empathetic towards others as I included their opinions on my decision-making. It made me feel ready for any unforeseen events that might occur.
I acknowledge that overthinking is a severe problem in people and that people should get help from it. But I also am glad of the lessons that I've picked up during my path to recovery. I still overthink from time to time but not as frequently and as severe as before.
To people who experience overthinking, please know that you are not alone and that there is no shame in asking for help from others.
Our mental health matters just as significantly as our physical health.
