I tend to over analyze things, how can I change this.

I think it’s just natural to over analyze things in certain situations. Everyone does it. Don’t worry about it.

I am in the exact same boat and find myself getting worked up and creating elaborate explanations in my head as to why people have done something and if they have said something – what did they mean by it… was there a hidden meaning behind it, was their body language suggesting something else.

It can become incredibly stressful. I begin to put dots together that sometimes turn out to be accurate but sometimes turn out to be completely absurd.

I too would like to rein this in as it is causing detrimental effects on my life.

To help, I try to talk it out or get fresh perspectives from friends/family/workmates but sometimes when they are unable to provide me with answers, it fuels my stress.

I have come to the conclusion that I tend to over analyse more when an action or behaviour seems irrational or not logical. I can’t relax until I have made sense of it or can see someone elses perspective/reasoning.

Try to ignore this. Once you get used to this it all would be just fine.

Why would you want to change this? It’s not really a problem.

I do it too. It was actually handy trait to have when dealing with economics in college.

But in real life, not so much. I over-think the shit out of everything until it becomes nonsense. I wish I could help, I just wanted you to know that you are not alone.

I view this as a positive quality.

Most people do it in the hopes that it will prepare them for being let down and they figure if they play it out than they will be prepared when they are let down. You one only psych yourself out, or talk yourself out of it. In the end you cannot be prepared. If you are rejected you will still feel the sting. Just consider the possibiltiy that some day you will ask the right guy and he will say yes. If this one says no than it means he wasn’t the guy for you and move on. However if you shoot your foot everytime before you ask and don’t, than you are bound to loose out. Better a slight uncomfortable sting than a shot to your foot. Take life in stride. Its a lot less stressful that way.

I do the same thing. It’s why I’m studying psychology.
Sorry, I have no advice on how to stop.

So you’re asking us to overanalyze your habit of overanalyzing?

I too over-analyze things. Recently, I realized one particular thing I over-analyze is just ridiculous. There’s just no point in thinking about that particular thing. Since I realized this, I have been able to let it go / ignore the urge to delve into thinking about it. However, I think it’s normal to over-analyze certain things like you mentioned – it’s a way to prepare yourself – at the least, you won’t be completely shocked by an adverse reaction/situation.

I’m working on this myself..I don’t know yet!

Maybe coming to Fluther for an answer to this is the wrong place !!

Hah, a common German stereotype. Welcome to the club. Turn on your internal stopwatch set to X seconds. After the beep start your sentence with ‘My first thought on this is…” and then improvise. As you keep talking allocate some brain-cpu time to the analyze-further process. Eventually, you could use a phrase like ‘You know, on second thought…’

I know almost every one here has that same thing…I actuly used to! All I did was just look at the situation and I ether: ask the person, ignore the whole thing, or (I know this is silly) i think of myself as a detective somtimes if its that big of a thing. Like if a person at school wrote somthing the teachers think is BAD, or somthing to that effect.