If you are a women with ADHD, you are probably very familiar with the term overthinking. This is when your thoughts get caught up in a loop and your mind goes over and over with the same thoughts without feeling better or finding a solution. For instance, you may get stuck on the day to day worries or on future events. However, this could be due to an event that happened in the past in which you had done or said something different. If this sounds you, here are some suggestions to help.
Observe The Specific Times When You Over-Think– Become aware of the specific times in the day when you do your most over thinking. Is it in the morning when you take your shower, driving home from work. When you figured out this step create a plan of action to stop the overthinking before it starts. For example, if you are driving to work or running an errand you could listen to a positive and engaging podcast or listen to upbeat music.
Become Aware of Your Triggers- There could be certain situations that could trigger that could make you more likely to over-think. For instance, if you are feeling sad, sleep deprived or stressed. You may or may not be able to avoid these things but if you know when you are more likely to over-think, you can be more vigilant during those times.
Do A Mind Dump – While over-thinking isn’t the best thing for a women with ADHD, doing a mind dump of all your concerns or worries is very helpful. Sit down with a pen and paper and write down everything that is on your mind. Then think of and write down any concrete actions that would help. is there something proactive you can do, so it doesn’t happen again? For instance, try some mindfulness techniques, listen to your favorite upbeat music, read a book.