Why You’re Stuck In Your Head—5 Powerful Ways to Free Your Mind
Breaking free from the noise.
I always could go from having a single idea to having a severe mental illness.
Like, I would be the goddamn Michael Phelps of overthinking if it were a sport.
I pay attention to every little thing others say, look at me, and say, and then my brain takes all that worthless information, puts it in a blender, and presses “purée” until I’m neck-deep in overly analytical garbage.
Consider this instance:
During a discussion, there is a little shift in someone’s tone.
Not a huge thing. False.
Like a freaking Christmas tree, my head blazes with ideas.
“Why did they sound irritated? Wait? Did I say anything foolish? Have I overlooked an SMS response? Did I unintentionally upset them in any way?”
And here I am, roped into an endless loop of reliving the exchange as if it were a crime scene that required my investigation.
Like a compulsive investigator, my mind ran over every word of the exchange, searching for the source of the problem.
Man, it’s so tiring.
You would be surprised at how much mental effort it takes to get worked up about little things. However, I live there — straight in the center of a mental prison that I built for myself.
I am the one in charge of the prison, and not even I can buy my way out of here.
The Overthinking Cycle
Living within your thoughts is like riding a bullshit, insecure, and anxious hamster wheel.
Though you’re sweating unnecessarily and sticking in the same old area, you seem to be making progress.
It is usually a tiny concept; it begins with one question: “Did I say the right thing in that meeting?”
A typical individual would brush it off and get on with their day.
Not me, however.
Oh my, I must give that little question a severe mental examination.
I play back the incident in my mind, dissecting each phrase, gesture, and raised eyebrow.
Furthermore, my brain does not automatically conclude that everything is OK and there is nothing to be concerned about.
Instead, it says, “Well, if you didn’t find anything wrong, that probably means you’re missing something.”
Thus, the cycle never ends.
When Your Mind Is Your Own Worst Enemy
The most distressing aspect of having a mental block is that it is entirely self-inflicted.
I’m not being victimized by anybody else. It’s not as if they are purposefully being evasive or obscure to mislead me. No, I’m the only one doing this.
My brain transforms ordinary human encounters into a mental obstacle course with traps and hazards I must avoid.
It becomes much worse since, deep down, I know that most of this overanalyzing is useless.
Like, I get it rationally.
The majority of people aren’t pondering over what I say, scrutinizing my tone, or covertly holding grudges because I didn’t text them back in two minutes.
However, try convincing my brain that.
The Benefits of Having a Lifelong Overthinking Problem
Being analytical about everything would make me a genius, constantly ready for the worst-case situation.
Nope.
It makes me a worrisome mess who wastes too much time imagining what may go wrong in every discussion, encounter, and circumstance.
I’m too exhausted to cope with the real stuff when it comes because I’ve been overanalysing for so long.
It’s like having a sack of bricks in your head constantly. You would think that after doing this for years, I would at least have powerful arms from carrying it around, but no.
I can’t stop the chatter in my thoughts, which has left me psychologically exhausted, depleted, and feeling like a bag of garbage.
And let’s not even discuss social media.
Social networking is like cocaine for overthinkers.
After posting anything, you have to wait. And hold on. And hold on. A few likes here and there isn’t enough.
There’s never enough.
Was there anything I said incorrectly? Have I offended anyone? What made them dislike it? Did I use too many emojis?
Oh, my goodness. I follow every little insecurity as if it were the holy grail of self-doubt and fall down the rabbit hole.
The “What If” Blackhole
One of the worst aspects of being trapped in one’s thoughts is the never-ending “what if” scenario cycle.
My imagination’s darkest areas are accessible like a VIP ticket, and my brain likes to drag me there unexpectedly.
“What if their feelings for you are misplaced?
What happens if the joke you said in the group chat is offensive?
What happens if your work performance is below what you believe it?”
And believe me when I say there's little way out once you go down the “what if” route.
Similar to quicksand.
You sink further the harder you try.
Each “what if” sets off another scarier one until you’re certain you’ve ruined every chance, every relationship, and every career you’ve ever had.
The problem is that none of this is grounded in truth.
All of it is merely fiction my mind conjures up to torment me.
However, it seems genuine at the time.
Even though the feelings of guilt, worry, and terror are all based on unadulterated crap, they all seem entirely justified.
Battle With My Mind
How, then, do you handle being trapped in your thoughts?
Yes, I would live a lot more peacefully if I knew the answer.
But since I don’t, I’m forced to spend every day attempting to find it out.
Meditation helps.
Similar to applying a Band-Aid to a gunshot wound, it sometimes allows me to pause my mind’s constant chatter long enough to take a breather.
Counseling is also very beneficial.
Well, if you like paying someone to sit there for an hour while you verbatim describe all of your unreasonable anxieties and phobias. Please understand that treatment has its uses.
It’s hardly a miracle drug.
My therapist isn’t able to wave a magic wand and make my overthinking vanish.
Escaping My Mental Prison
Being imprisoned by your thoughts ultimately seems like you are living in a mental institution.
Fear, worry, and self-doubt are the foundations of these barriers; despite your best efforts, you cannot scale them.
The paradox is that I am the only one capable of breaking out of this prison—I placed myself there.
The problem is that breaking out of your mind doesn’t need making a significant advancement.
It’s not about shutting off your anxiousness or finding a “cure” for overanalyzing.
The key is to learn to tolerate the noise, to turn it down when necessary, and to order it to shut up when it becomes too loud.
I am currently working on the last section. I’m better at it some days than not. At the very least, I’m beginning to understand that I don’t have to allow my chaotic, disorganized brain to rule my life.
Even if I’m lost in my thoughts, I’m learning to make it less uncomfortable.
Final Thoughts
Come on, what can you laugh at if you can’t even acknowledge that your brain functions essentially as a perpetual source of anxiety?
I find it fascinating how my mind turns even the most straightforward circumstances into intense drama — in a “holy shit, that’s ridiculous” sort of way.
I used to stress over whether I had insulted the barista at my neighborhood coffee shop by not saying “thank you” with enough enthusiasm throughout the day.
It isn’t very sensible.
But that’s my brain for you — it’s always coming up with fresh excuses to panic over little things.
Yes, I am entangled in my thoughts. But at least I get to see the shitshow up close.
And occasionally, I find it amusing if I focus hard enough. Nearly.