Hi Maryjane, and welcome to Beyond Blue.
Firstly, let me reassure you that you are NOT going crazy. Overthinking is a very easy habit to get into when suffering from anxiety. And once our minds spin out of control with negative thoughts and emotions, its really difficult to stop. The more we think this way, the more habit forming it becomes.
Our minds, when overwhelmed with these thoughts, often leads to despair and sometimes panic. Meaning that overthinking can lead to depression or anxiety, and definitely makes it worse if you already suffer from either.
Next time you catch yourself overthinking try to distract yourself by starting some other activity that requires a bit of concentration. Unfortunately the gym doesnt really provide that. (-: Try something along the lines of watching a movie, calling a friend, reading, doing some art or craft.
Have you ever done meditation or mindfulness? Both are helpful for some people to provide some relief from overthinking. So read up about how its done, and see if it works for you.
Sometimes we need assistance from a counselor or therapist to help us become more aware of our thought processes and to determine ways of changing them to our benefit.
You havent said whether you have been officially diagnosed with anxiety. I would suggest that if you havent already spoken to your GP about it, that you do so. They may decide to put you on a Mental health plan where you are entitled to medicare funded psych visits.
I hope some of this information proves helpful Maryjane, and I hope you will post again to let us know how you're getting along.
Taurus
