There is nothing wrong with thinking and using the mind, but thinking too much is a problem that can lead you to many problems. This situation can become more disturbing when you get caught up in negative thoughts and spoil a good job or a good opportunity for negative thoughts.
In today’s era, a lot of people are suffering from this overthinking and want to find a solution for it. Islam is a complete code of life; it tells us how to get rid of every difficulty and problem. If we want to be always happy and never sad, then we have to establish a deep relationship with Allah, which is what Allah Himself has ordered.
حَسْبِيَ اللَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَهُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ
say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “Allah is sufficient for me. There is no god ˹worthy of worship˺ except Him. In Him I put my trust. And He is the Lord of the Mighty Throne.” [Al-Tauba:129]
4 Ways to Stop Overthinking
Before you can start combating your overthinking habit, you need to be aware and conscious of your habit. Whenever you find yourself feeling anxious, hesitant, nervous, or stressed, stop for a moment. Assess the situation and your reactions. In that moment of awareness, you will receive the signal for the change you need.
Attention to Yourself:
In many situations, overthinking is caused when you focus on all the negative things happening, you are no longer useful to yourself. The next time you feel like you’re going back in a negative direction, stop. Focus your attention on the things that can go right and keep those thoughts present and foremost. Give yourself time to think, worry, and analyze by setting a specific time.
The Deep Relationship With Allah:
Overthinking is a disease. When a person is far from Allah, he is closer to evil and negative thoughts. We should establish a good relationship with Allah and ask for help from Him in case of problems and recite the Duas that we have been taught.
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الهَمِّ وَالحَزَنِ، وَالعَجْزِ وَالكَسَلِ، وَالبُخْلِ، وَالجُبْنِ، وَضَلَعِ الدَّيْنِ، وَغَلَبَةِ الرِّجَالِ
English transliteration: Allaahumma ‘innee ‘a’oothu bika minal-hammi walhazani, wal’ajzi walkasali, walbukhli waljubni, wa dhala’id-dayni wa ghalabatir-rijaal
Narrated Anas Bin Malik: I used to serve Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) whenever he stayed somewhere. I used to hear him saying, “O Allah! I seek refuge with you (Allah) from (worries) care and grief, from incapacity and laziness, from miserliness and cowardice, from being heavily in debt and from being overpowered by other men.” – [Sahih al-Bukhari 6363]
Turn Yourself to Happiness:
Allah created man and assigned many tasks to him. Instead of getting lost in worldly affairs, we should obey the commandments of Allah because only in this way we can be happy. Try to make yourself happy in every way. Things like reciting the Qur’an, learning sewing, spending quality time with family, painting, cooking, or coloring give you a lot of support to stop overanalyzing. Bike riding, cycling, jogging, yoga, or swimming can also be done. If you want to learn to cook, do it in your spare time. All these tasks will keep you busy and you will not have enough time to think about things again and again and take out their negative aspect.
Do Not Exaggerate Things:
It is always easy to exaggerate things or make them negative. The next time you find yourself arguing about something, be sure to ask yourself what Allah commands about it. Just these simple questions and changing the time frame for thoughts can help you to eliminate overthinking. Avoid fighting and make every effort to speak less.
Allah has commanded us to create ease for others. Keep your work up and do not disturb others.
Conclusion:
You can never have happy thoughts or sad thoughts at the same time, so why not spend your time with positive thinking? We have to make sure that we are controlling our mind or that our mind is controlling us. Overthinking is something that can happen to anyone, but if you have a good coping mechanism in place, you can overcome it. Learn to forgive small things and stop taking them so seriously. Laugh, smile, enjoy these moments of life and be happy.
