Why Am I an Overthinker? Understanding the Mind That Never Quiets

What Does It Mean to Be an Overthinker?

Let’s start simple. Overthinking is when your brain just won’t shut up. You replay conversations, question your choices (then question the questioning), and imagine worst-case scenarios for stuff that hasn’t even happened. Sound familiar?

It’s not always bad — overthinkers tend to be thoughtful, observant, even brilliant problem-solvers. But the downside? Paralysis, anxiety, exhaustion. Ugh.

Signs you might be overthinking

• You take forever to make simple decisions

• You replay awkward moments from 5 years ago (yep, still)

• You have conversations in your head that never happened

• You worry about things you can’t control — all the time

Honestly, if your brain feels like a browser with 37 tabs open... you're probably in the club.

Why Do I Overthink So Much?

It starts in the brain (literally)

Neuroscience time: the prefrontal cortex, the part of your brain responsible for decision-making and logic, is often overactive in overthinkers. Combine that with heightened amygdala activity (emotional response central), and boom — you’ve got a mental cocktail of endless loops.

Some researchers also link overthinking to low serotonin levels, which impact mood regulation and calm. Not saying you're broken — just saying your brain might be on overdrive more than others'.

Personality traits play a role

• Perfectionists overthink to avoid mistakes

• People-pleasers overthink to avoid rejection

• Highly sensitive people (HSPs) absorb and process everything, so no wonder their minds spin

Me? I’m kind of all three. One time I spent 3 hours drafting an email... and never sent it. Classic.

Childhood experiences and trauma

Here’s where it gets a bit deep. If you grew up in an environment where mistakes had high emotional costs — maybe criticism, unpredictability, or shame — your brain learned to pre-analyze everything to stay safe. Overthinking, then, becomes a defense mechanism. Not fun, but kinda understandable.

Is Overthinking Always Bad?

Not necessarily. Like, thinking through scenarios can be useful. Planning? Smart. Reflecting? Growth.

But the problem starts when it turns into rumination — repetitive, unproductive, emotionally draining. It doesn’t solve things. It just... makes you feel stuck.

Productive thinking vs. overthinking

So yeah, overthinking has a limit — and once you cross it, it drains your peace instead of helping your life.

Can I Stop Overthinking? (Or at least chill a bit?)

Strategies that actually help

• Name it. Just saying “I'm overthinking again” already gives you some distance.

• Set time limits on decisions. Seriously, give yourself 10 minutes and then decide.

• Write stuff down. Journaling takes the noise out of your head and puts it on paper. It’s magic.

• Meditate. Not for everyone, but even 5 minutes of breath focus can calm the chaos.

• Talk it out. Sometimes a quick chat with someone grounded can untangle your mental mess way faster.

And no, it won't disappear overnight. But every time you catch yourself spiraling and interrupt the pattern — that’s progress.

One weird trick that helped me personally

Whenever I catch myself stuck on a thought loop, I do this silly thing: I ask myself, “Will this matter in five years?” If the answer is no — I literally whisper "let it go" out loud. It sounds ridiculous, but the physical act kind of breaks the spell.

Final Thoughts: You're Not Alone, and You're Not Broken

Overthinking doesn’t mean you’re weak or flawed — it means your brain is trying to protect you, just doing it a bit too hard. With awareness, compassion, and some practice, you can quiet the noise.

And hey — overthinkers are often deep feelers, great listeners, thoughtful friends. That’s a superpower, too.

So yeah, maybe your mind is loud sometimes... but you? You’re doing just fine.

Is 165 cm normal for a 15 year old?

The predicted height for a female, based on your parents heights, is 155 to 165cm. Most 15 year old girls are nearly done growing. I was too. It's a very normal height for a girl.

Is 160 cm too tall for a 12 year old?

How Tall Should a 12 Year Old Be? We can only speak to national average heights here in North America, whereby, a 12 year old girl would be between 137 cm to 162 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/3 feet). A 12 year old boy should be between 137 cm to 160 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/4 feet).

How tall is a average 15 year old?

Average Height to Weight for Teenage Boys - 13 to 20 Years

How to get taller at 18?

Staying physically active is even more essential from childhood to grow and improve overall health. But taking it up even in adulthood can help you add a few inches to your height. Strength-building exercises, yoga, jumping rope, and biking all can help to increase your flexibility and grow a few inches taller.

Is 5.7 a good height for a 15 year old boy?

Generally speaking, the average height for 15 year olds girls is 62.9 inches (or 159.7 cm). On the other hand, teen boys at the age of 15 have a much higher average height, which is 67.0 inches (or 170.1 cm).

Can you grow between 16 and 18?

Most girls stop growing taller by age 14 or 15. However, after their early teenage growth spurt, boys continue gaining height at a gradual pace until around 18. Note that some kids will stop growing earlier and others may keep growing a year or two more.

Can you grow 1 cm after 17?

Even with a healthy diet, most people's height won't increase after age 18 to 20. The graph below shows the rate of growth from birth to age 20. As you can see, the growth lines fall to zero between ages 18 and 20 ( 7 , 8 ). The reason why your height stops increasing is your bones, specifically your growth plates.