- [Amanda] Hey, there Psych2Goers,
today we're gonna try something new.
It's time for a trivia quiz. Woohoo!
According to a study by Queens University,
how many thoughts does the average person have per day?
Comment your answers below.
A, 2,700.
B, 6,200.
Or C, 15,900.
Have you picked your answer yet?
Well, we're gonna reveal the answer
at the end of this video, so stay tuned.
Now back to the video.
We have a lot of thoughts per day
but we know that not all thoughts are equal.
Some are useful and healthy
while others are harsh and unhealthy.
Even worse, when we overthink unhealthy thoughts,
we're at risk of mental conditions like depression,
but how can we tell if our thoughts
are putting us at risk?
Here are five signs overthinking is giving you depression.
Number one, you worry about problems
instead of looking for solutions.
Are you bothered by a current problem,
something that happened in the past
or expectations in the future?
It's natural to think about situations that affect us
but we should focus our attention on finding a solution.
If you are repeatedly dwelling on bad outcomes,
emotional stress, or how things are out of control,
this is unhealthy rumination.
Studies show that people with depression
claim to be reflecting on problems
to get a better understanding of them.
But when they say their thoughts out loud
they are clearly ruminating on the same negative emotions
over and over without any real goal.
So the next time you think about a problem ask yourself,
is this productive worry
or is this just worrying for the sake of worrying?
Number two, you brood on your mood.
When you're in a bad mood, how do you cope?
Healthy ways include spending time with others,
distracting yourself with a hobby,
or understanding the cause
so you can prevent it in the future.
But it's unhealthy to brood on your bad mood
and its consequences,
like wondering whether it will look bad to others,
whether you'll get anything done today,
or how long the negative emotions might last.
Dwelling on negative feelings can cause them
to spiral out of control and put you at risk of depression.
So the next time you're in a bad mood
try not to trap yourself in the same emotional state
by dwelling on it.
Number three, you dwell on your personal shortcomings.
If I asked you to picture your ideal self
how similar would it be to your present self?
Was the comparison inspiring you to try harder
or was it discouraging and negative?
Self-awareness is a very useful skill,
as it helps us reflect on our actions and improve ourselves.
But dwelling only on your shortcomings
can lead to excessive self criticism
and a negative sense of self.
Research shows that when we become aware
of goals we've failed, standards we don't reach
and mistakes we've made, we experience anxiety
and a need to escape.
If we keep thinking about these things
the feelings can develop into depression
and the need to escape can develop
into thoughts of self harm or even suicide.
So the next time you become aware of your shortcomings
try to think about your strengths as well.
Number four, you think the future is hopeless.
Do you have hope for the future?
As mentioned, thinking about problems
or personal shortcomings is healthy
when it's directed towards improvement,
but people with depression usually feel
that there is no hope for the future
and improvement is impossible.
They dwell on the idea that their situation is fixed.
Everything is out of their control
and they'll be flawed forever.
Needless to say, thinking that nothing will ever get better
will only make you fail more, making the problem worse.
So the next time you're faced with problems
find reasons to hope for a good outcome
or redirect your attention to other problems
where you can make a difference.
And number five, you engage in meta-rumination.
Now that we've talked about how negative thinking
can give you depression, let's go up another level.
How often do you dwell on your own negative thinking?
Research shows that people with depression
not only engage in unhealthy rumination,
they also engage in meta-rumination,
which means they ruminate on their negative rumination.
Every time they catch themselves thinking
in negative or unhealthy ways
they judge themselves for overthinking,
worry about their own thinking patterns,
and feel like their minds are doomed
to be like that forever.
On top of the original negative thoughts
these extra ruminations add to the problem
and further the depression.
So the next time you notice
you're thinking in negative ways, try to deal with it
without judging yourself too harshly for it.
Okay, so remember the trivia quiz earlier?
We're gonna reveal the answer now.
The correct answer is B.
According to a study by Queens University
the average person has 6,200 thoughts per day.
Which answer did you pick?
Can you relate to any of the thoughts mentioned?
Let us know in the comments below
and don't forget to like and share this video
if you think it'll help someone else.
The studies and references used
are added in the description below.
Until next time in and thanks for watching.