OVERTHINKING : SILENT BUT DEADLY

At some point in our lives, almost all of us have been guilty of overthinking, especially in our relationships. We misinterpret a text, become envious of an ex, or even doubt if our partner truly wants to remain with us. You may not think of this behaviour as destructive, but it can have a variety of consequences in a relationship.

Overthinking generally comes from the fear of an imagined painful outcome. Being fearful about something you think your partner might do is a controlling manoeuvre and a childish one at that. "Do something to soothe my abstract and baseless fears, or I will be angry at you and punish you". Unfortunately, sometimes this works in the short run. However, Nobody wants to have to babysit negative emotions as a long-term job.

The huge part overthinking plays is one that creates unfounded concerns in one's life; it gradually ruins relationships by chipping away at trust, and causing resentment through an obsession with accusations. When this happens, it can undermine the potential of a connection that could have blossomed into something amazing.

WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES OF OVERTHINKING? 

When you're constantly overthinking, you're not having the ideal time connecting. That means that even while you're with a companion, your mind wanders and keeps returning to events from the past, leaving them possibly feeling emotionally neglected. Here are several consequences to overthinking.

• LEADS TO ANXIETY: Worrying about the future or constantly reliving the past keeps you from being engaged in the present. Because your life is being confined to your emotions that were generated by your ideas, you will feel fatigued and perhaps also depressed, but it indefinitely is a path leading to anxiety.
  
  
• PERPETUAL PARANOIA: Perpetual paranoia makes you miserable. You get suspicious that someone is intruding into your relationship due to a lack of trust and overthinking. Paranoia shows up as an obsessive-compulsive need to know where your partner is at all times of the day. "Is he cheating, or am I being paranoid?" you wonder. But you can't seem to keep your sentiments in check, and you keep disappearing into the black abyss of overthinking.
   
• LEADS TO HEALTH DISORDERS: Overthinking and worrying on a regular basis can jeopardize your cardiovascular health. Overthinking can result in chest aches, light-headedness, and other issues. Depression, alcohol misuse, and sleep problems, all of which are linked to chronic worrying. Overthinking can only exacerbate conditions that are already present. 

Our brain is a fantastic tool, but we have a choice to decide whether to let it work for us or against us.

References

Ouakinin, S. R. S. (2016). Anxiety as a Risk Factor for Cardiovascular Diseases. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 7, 25. http://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2016.00025.