Moderated by
Jennifer Patterson, LMFT
Art Therapist
Life can be messy. Sometimes you need a little support to make your way through it. I love to help guide people through their challenges & to find the beauty in our messes.
Top Rated Answers
Anonymous
January 30th, 2016 10:37am
First of all, I am not a doctor. What I think is, that overthinking can be classified as a mental disorder, but it is very often linked to anxiety and/or depression.
Overthinking can be a mental disorder if taken to the extreme. There are some situations that everyone tends to overthink about, but then there are those that usually shouldn't be thought about too much. If people are thinking too much about those situations constantly, then I think it could be considered a mental disorder. It sounds like something that would go along with mental disorders and depression although I suppose you could see it by itself.
Anonymous
February 25th, 2016 2:25pm
It depends on who you ask. Overthinking might be considered a mental disorder but as of now I have not heard of it as being listed as one.
To answer as concisely as possible: 'it can be'. When resulting in obsessions, it becomes a symptom of obsessive compulsive disorder. If it interferes with one's life, it can be part of a generalized anxiety disorder. But overthinking in itself is not a mental disorder.
Anonymous
February 27th, 2016 10:04am
No not at all. It is totally normal. Overthinking is just stressing about any single or random thoughts altogether in our mind.
No, I don't think so. Its something that every human being goes through, however intelligent, confident or rich he might be
No, people might tell you differently but people don't know you. People don't have the authority to tell you "oh you think too much you have a mental disorder"
Anonymous
March 2nd, 2016 5:14am
No, i dont think it's a mental disorder. I mean we all overthink things from time to time.. It's rather hard to avoid overthinking in general. I suppose it's rather natural.
I don't think it's a disorder. But it can be an obsessive trait. Like my husband has to look of every angle before making any decisions. Which can be healthy, if it doesn't cause issues in your day to day life. Learn to trust yourself, usually your first response is correct.
Not really untill you start geting negative thoughts its a problem. so think but dont think negatively
I don't think that is directly a mental disorder but it can be some signs of you having something such as social anxiety or just anxiety.
Anonymous
March 2nd, 2016 5:05pm
Overthinking can be a sign of ADHD, ADD, or anxiety but it could just be that you have a lot on you mind
Over think is not a mental disorder, although it is a symptom for several. If you are concerned that you may have a mental disorder, you should contact your doctor or a therapist to help you make the decision.
No, everyone overthinks sometimes, even I overthink, it's not and it is part of growing up and part of our life
I don't think so. It can often be a symptom/side effect of a mental health issue but I don't think it alone is a mental disorder.
My personal experience with overthinking was with this one guy. We both loved eachother very much, but he kept thinking that I have someone else was ruining our relationship. Example when I just went out with my friends, he came up with 10 different cases why I went out. Cases were "i must love my friend" or " I must meet other guys that I dont tell him about". All that led me to be very sad, feeling lonely bc he made himself think that I don't love him. So overthinking has huge effect in relationship and it can destroy a good relationship. It might be a symptom from other mental disorder or bad experience with other people.
I believe over thinking can turn into a mental disorder if it is ignored. It can also interfere with daily life.
Anonymous
March 10th, 2016 5:25pm
Yes but the term for this disorder is called chronic anxiety. This disorder many people suffer from several cases of anxiety. The most common form of anxiety disorder is (GAD) generalized anxiety disorder.
Systems include
Difficulty sleeping
Being on edge or feeling restless
Irritability
Fatigue
Muscle tension
no we all go through this kind of stuff sometimes! you just may be going in some stress lately! but don't worry you'll get over it soon
I would consider over thinking a mental illness because at one point it feels like you're not even thinking anymore and it's just your mind going wild and telling you these crazy things yet you still believe them with almost every ounce of you. Years of illness recovery of any emotional or mental factor can go to waste by just one night of over thinking. That's how easily it can mess you up.
I don't know if it is a disorder or not. I personally think that it shows you are worried about things. Although, maybe in a sense it is a disorder?
It depends if the overthinking is causing refraining you from carrying out daily activities and affecting your physical health. If it is then it is very likely that you are suffering from anxiety. I suggest that you go see a GP if you wish to receive a clinical diagnosis. But you may also want to try online helplines. I suffered and still do suffer from anxiety and I feel that talking to someone about it anonymously is really helpful and they are able to offer tips on controlling it.
Anonymous
March 16th, 2016 11:34pm
Overthinking is not a mental disorder although it is a symptom of many other mental disorders such as anxiety
I don't think so as long as it does not affect your day to say activities. However anxiety definition is
Anonymous
March 18th, 2016 6:21am
not really, could lead to feeling anxious though.
Anonymous
March 18th, 2016 10:28am
No, overthinking is not a mental disorder. Overthinking happens to the best of us, and I believe it is part and parcel of the mind's natural mechanism. For instance, I consider myself an over-thinker, therefore I understand how that feels.
I think it becomes a mental condition, when it starts influencing your every-day activities, and it starts distressing you.
Therefore, it is important that we always look at the quantity of a feature (in this case: overthinking) and not the quality. Everyone, some day or another has over-thought, presently overthinks and will over-think. BUT it is how MUCH you overthink and how much it hinders your daily activities and creates distress that matters.
Therefore overthinking per se, is not a mental disorder. It is a feature found in everyone.
No. But overthinking can be a symptom of anxiety or another mental disorder, Being worried and stressed can also cause you to overthink. The difference is the rationality and whether you can stop overthinking when you want to.
Short answer: it can be. Longer answer: sometimes overthinking can be a sign of anxiety, OCD, or similar things- my anxiety is very heavy overthinking mixed with other stuff.
Anonymous
March 20th, 2016 8:47am
No, but over thinking can lead to a mental disorder such as anxiety. If you feel like you over think too much, seek help with someone who will listen (us).
Hi, over thinking is a natural phenomenon of the mind and the heart! When we undergo a huge amount of stress and accept anxiety as our daily lifestyle, then over thinking appears all of a sudden. However, it is very much general. As soon as we cut off with the anxiety and stressful situation, we return to the normal lifestyle! So smile!
Related Questions: Is overthinking a mental disorder?
How do I get over feeling that everyone is going to leave me?Everything in my life is messed up. Motivation works temporarily and I'm not suicidal but feel it's pointless to live like this. What should I do to feel hopeful? How can I get what I need from my doctor? I feel extremely sick whenever I leave my house, what can I do? I have trouble with my school work due to procrastinating. And my anxiety always gets in the way. How do I get things done?A family member thinks I am lying about where I am going but I'm not, what should I do?How do I know if I did the right thing?Is it hard to think critically about something you love?How do I overcome the fear of cashiers?How can I convince myself that my friends don't hate me? I have this irrational fear that they actually hate me.