I have always been a person who likes to think deeply and analyze every situation from different perspectives. However, my thoughts have started to overwhelm me. It feels like my mind is stuck in a never-ending loop of worries and rumination, and I can't seem to find a way out of it.
Initially, I thought it was just a temporary phase, and I tried to divert my attention towards work, hobbies, and other activities. But, as time passed, it became clear that my overthinking was not going away. The more I tried to push my thoughts aside, the more they seemed to take over.
Eventually, I started blaming myself for my overthinking. I felt like I should be able to control my thoughts and emotions better and that my inability to do so was my personal failure. It was a time when I was dealing with a lot of stress at work, and I thought that I was not good enough to handle it. This made me feel weak, flawed, and unfixable.
It could be that the situation that triggered my overthinking was a particular event at work, which made me doubt my abilities and competence. The stress and pressure from my work were getting to me, and I started to question everything I did. Alternatively, it could have been a personal issue, such as a relationship problem or a health concern, that made me feel uncertain and insecure about the future. Whatever the situation may have been, it was clear that my overthinking had taken hold of me, and I needed to find a way to cope with it.
At first, it was just a few restless nights here and there, where I couldn't turn off my racing thoughts. I would lie in bed, tossing and turning, trying to shut off my mind, but it felt like my thoughts were on a loop, and I couldn't escape them. I would try to focus on my breathing or count sheep, but nothing seemed to work.
As time passed, my sleeping problems became more frequent and severe. I found myself waking up in the middle of the night, my mind racing with worries and anxieties. It was like my mind was working overtime, and I couldn't find a way to turn it off. Sometimes, I would lie awake for hours, feeling restless and exhausted in the morning.
My lack of sleep started to take a toll on my daily life. I found it harder to concentrate at work, my mood was more irritable, and I struggled to find joy in the things that I loved. I felt like I was stuck in a vicious cycle of overthinking and sleep deprivation, and I didn't know how to break free.
It’s not your fault
It is not uncommon for individuals who struggle with overthinking to blame themselves for their experience. They may believe that they are weak or lack self-control, which can lead to feelings of shame and self-blame. However, it is essential to understand that overthinking is not a personal failing or weakness, but rather a common and normal response to stress and anxiety.
Overthinking can be a challenging experience that can negatively impact our mental health and overall well-being. For individuals struggling with overthinking, it is essential to understand the connection between overthinking and neuroscience to recognize that overthinking is not their fault.
Overthinking is linked to a process in the brain called rumination, which involves repetitive negative thinking patterns. These thought patterns can lead to reduced activity in the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for cognitive control and decision-making. This can make it more challenging to regulate our emotions and thoughts effectively.
By understanding this connection, individuals struggling with overthinking can recognize that their thought patterns are not their fault. It can be challenging to control our thoughts and emotions, and it is not a personal failing if we struggle with overthinking.
This understanding can also help reduce self-blame and negative self-talk. Many individuals who struggle with overthinking may blame themselves for their thought patterns, feeling like they should be able to control their thoughts and emotions more effectively. However, by understanding the underlying neural processes in the brain, individuals can develop a more compassionate and understanding approach to their struggles.
Overthinking is a common experience that affects millions of people worldwide. Despite its prevalence, many individuals who struggle with overthinking often feel isolated and believe that their struggles are unique to them. However, it's important to understand that overthinking is not their fault and that they are not alone in their struggles.
Neurotransmitters that Control Unwanted Thoughts
According to a recent study, the lack of a neurotransmitter known as GABA in the hippocampus of the brain has been identified by neuroscientists as a significant contributor to the phenomenon of overthinking (Taylor W. Schmitz, Marta M. Correia, Catarina S. Ferreira, Andrew P. Prescot & Michael C. Anderson, 2017).
GABA, or gamma-aminobutyric acid, is a neurotransmitter that plays a critical role in regulating brain activity. It is an inhibitory neurotransmitter, meaning that it reduces the activity of neurons in the brain. Inhibitory and excitatory neurons are two types of neurons in the brain. Excitatory neurons stimulate and increase the activity of other neurons they are connected to, whereas inhibitory neurons, such as those that release GABA, decrease the activity of connected neurons.
The role of GABA in regulating neural activity is essential to many functions in the brain, including the control of muscle tone, sleep regulation, and anxiety management. GABA is also known to have a significant impact on cognitive processes such as attention, memory, and decision-making.
“We focused first on healthy individuals without depression or anxiety to determine whether hippocampal GABA concentrations predicted their ability to control intrusive thoughts,” says Michael Anderson of the University of Cambridge, senior author on the paper. “We wanted to provide a ‘proof of concept’ that such a relationship exists.”
Schmitz and colleagues conducted a study aimed at investigating the role of the neurotransmitter GABA in overthinking. The study utilized functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to examine brain activity and GABA concentrations in participants while they performed two cognitive tasks.
In the study, participants were asked to complete two separate tasks that challenged their ability to stop either thoughts or actions, while their brain activity was scanned using fMRI. The first task was a thought suppression task, in which participants were trained to associate pairs of reminders and memory items until a strong association was formed between the two. Once the association was established, the participants were presented with the reminders one at a time and were instructed to either think about the associated memory item or to suppress any thoughts related to it.
During the study, the researchers also measured the concentrations of GABA in different areas of the brain using MRS. The results of the study showed that participants who had lower concentrations of GABA in the hippocampus, a brain region important in memory and emotion regulation, were more likely to experience overthinking and have difficulty suppressing unwanted thoughts.
“Strikingly, we found that the more GABA our participants had in the hippocampus, the better they were at controlling their thoughts,” Anderson says. “Our findings indicate that hippocampal GABA enables the prefrontal cortex to disrupt hippocampal retrieval processes. In contrast, the ability to stop an action, instead of a thought, did not rely on hippocampal GABA.”
According to this study, being able to stop unwanted thoughts, such as worries or memories, isn't just based on the prefrontal cortex in the brain. This part of the brain has been thought to be in charge of controlling our thoughts, but the study suggests that the amount of GABA in the hippocampus can also play a big role in how successful we are in stopping these thoughts. GABA helps to inhibit or slow down activity in the brain, and when there isn't enough of it in the hippocampus, it can make it harder to control unwanted thoughts.
What raises GABA
In some medications, there are substances that can enhance the action of GABA in the body. Gabapentin, valproate, and baclofen are examples of drugs that can indirectly boost the effect of GABA in the body.
Valproate, for instance, can help stabilize moods and prevent seizures. Gabapentin can be helpful in managing nerve pain, while baclofen can reduce muscle spasms and treat narcolepsy, a sleep disorder. However, these drugs need to be taken with care and under a doctor's supervision.
If you experience prolonged anxiety attacks or other related symptoms, it is important to seek medical advice from your doctor. They can prescribe the appropriate medication and dosage to help alleviate your symptoms. Knowing that medications containing substances that can enhance GABA exist can provide hope and relief for individuals struggling with overthinking or related conditions.
GABA can also be found in some fermented foods such as kimchi, fermented fish, and tempeh. Other foods that contain at least traces of GABA include germinating adzuki and soybeans, peas, wheat and barley, and cruciferous vegetables like spinach, kale, and broccoli.
While consuming foods high in GABA may not have a significant impact on the body's GABA levels, incorporating them into a balanced diet can have health benefits. Additionally, the FDA classifies GABA as "generally recognized as safe" for use as a supplement and food additive.
GABA-Raising Oatmeal Bowl
Here is a recipe for a GABA-boosting breakfast that is easy to prepare and delicious:
Ingredients:
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 banana, sliced
1 tablespoon almond butter
1 tablespoon raw honey
1/4 cup sliced almonds
Instructions:
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In a saucepan, combine the rolled oats, almond milk, water, chia seeds, vanilla extract, and cinnamon. Stir well and bring to a boil over medium heat.
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Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the oats are cooked and the mixture is creamy.
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Transfer the oatmeal to a bowl and top with sliced banana, almond butter, raw honey, and sliced almonds.
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Serve and enjoy!
This breakfast bowl is packed with ingredients that can help boost GABA levels in the brain. Rolled oats are a good source of complex carbohydrates that can help increase serotonin, a neurotransmitter that can promote feelings of calmness and relaxation. Almond milk and almond butter contain magnesium, which is essential for GABA production. Chia seeds are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which are important for brain health.
You might think that incorporating GABA-boosting foods into your diet is just a placebo. But believe me, incorporating GABA-boosting foods into your diet can help support healthy brain function and reduce symptoms of overthinking.
GABA supplements
It is important to note that with the rise in popularity of neurotransmitters, there has also been a surge of ineffective drugs and nutritional supplements sold in stores. Some supplements may contain GABA in such small quantities that they are essentially useless. It is therefore recommended to consult with a healthcare provider before taking any supplements containing GABA.
The key to supporting healthy brain function and reducing symptoms of overthinking is to stimulate sufficient GABA production within the body rather than adding GABA as an external component. While the body has the ability to produce GABA on its own in the appropriate amounts, stress and overwork can interfere with this process. Therefore, it is essential to help the body return to its normal functioning state rather than simply adding GABA.
One way to induce GABA production is through dietary modifications. Incorporating foods that are high in glutamate, such as whole grains, legumes, and nuts, can help increase GABA production in the body. In addition, foods that are high in vitamin B6, such as bananas, spinach, and avocados, can also promote GABA synthesis.
It is important to keep in mind that dietary changes alone may not be sufficient to address GABA production issues. Therefore, it is recommended to consult with a healthcare provider to assess any underlying health conditions that may be contributing to GABA imbalances. With proper guidance, it is possible to support the body's natural GABA production and promote healthy brain function.
GABA as a part of temperament
GABA is a neurotransmitter that plays an important role in determining our temperament. It is considered a part of our temperament because it is related to how we process information and perceive the world around us. Our temperament is a combination of various factors such as genetics, environment, and personal experiences that influence our emotions, behavior, and thinking patterns.
Some people may naturally have a tendency towards overthinking due to their temperament. They may have a higher sensitivity to external stimuli, be more analytical and introspective, or have a perfectionist mindset.
One hypothesis is that low levels of GABA may have helped our ancestors to remain vigilant and reactive to potential threats in their environment. In dangerous or unpredictable situations, a higher level of alertness could increase the chances of survival. In addition, low levels of GABA may have allowed for greater creativity and openness to new experiences, leading to innovation and adaptation.
But these traits can contribute to overthinking as the individual may spend more time analyzing and processing information than others who are less prone to overthinking.
On the other hand, a high level of GABA may confer an advantage in situations that require the ability to remain calm and focused under stress. However, it may also result in an excessive amount of inhibition and a lack of drive or motivation. This over-inhibition can hinder a person's ability to test their own conclusions, engage in critical self-reflection, and take risks when necessary.
It is important to note that both high and low levels of GABA have their own evolutionary benefits. And it is important to keep in mind that the normal level of GABA can vary from person to person, just as our temperaments can differ. It is essential to identify your personal normal level of GABA to optimize its function in the body.
As previously mentioned in the article, balance is key when it comes to GABA levels. Too high of a level of GABA can lead to negative consequences, such as suppressing our drive to think things through and engage in self-reflection. This can result in losing control of what is important to us and can lead to a lack of desire to test our own conclusions. It is essential to avoid excessively adding GABA to the body and instead focus on balancing its production to achieve optimal levels.
Unfortunately, many coaches make the mistake of suggesting adding excessive amounts of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and GABA. However, this is not the solution. It is essential to focus on regulating GABA production in the body instead of adding large amounts of it externally.
Conclusion
According to our investigation on the relationship between overthinking and brain neurochemistry, it is important to note once again that the main issue is not necessarily the act of thinking excessively without reaching important conclusions, but rather our susceptibility to biological issues. When we experience difficulty sleeping due to obsessive thoughts taking over our minds, it is imperative to seek the assistance of a specialist. Many of our thought processes are influenced by internal biological factors rather than important tasks that require reflection. By comprehending these factors, we can aid our minds in handling the tasks that we tend to overthink.
In certain instances, overthinking can be a symptom of a more significant issue, such as anxiety or depression, that may necessitate professional intervention. While it is essential to engage in self-reflection, we must also acknowledge the impact of biological factors on our thought processes. In recognizing these factors, we may be able to regulate our overthinking and increase our ability to cope with challenging situations. Additionally, implementing lifestyle changes such as exercise and a healthy diet, as well as utilizing relaxation techniques such as meditation, can aid in reducing the impact of biological factors on our minds.
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