Welcome to Suivez le Zèbre, the first blog dedicated to neurodiversityin France. Here you will find information about Giftedness (High Learning Potential), hypersensitivity, autism spectrum disorders (including Asperger’s syndrome), DYS disorders and ADHD.
Every living being with a conscience thinks. From the moment we’re born, our brains develop a certain autonomy to give an opinion, create hypotheses, have ideas or tell stories. Thinking is part of our daily lives!
What differentiates an overthinker an overthinker from a normal person is the amount of time they spend and the way they think!
People who think too much!
Do you feel like you think too much and your brain neverstops? That your mind keeps wandering? Do you have regular bouts of insomnia when you’re feeling exhausted? Do you suffer fromanxiety? Have you ever felt on the verge of depression? You even wonder if it isn’t bipolar orborderline personality disorder?
If it’s impossible for you to calm this invasive mind, you’re probably what we call a hyperthinker, a hyperthinker or an overthinker. overthinker (literally, overthinker)! Who are these people with such great cognitive power?
Hyperthinking, a singular brain function
Richard Davidson is an expert in affective psychology. He works on the multiple functions used by the brain to process emotions. emotions . He demonstrated via MRI “that negative emotions activated the right side of a part of the brain, called the prefrontal cortex, more than the left side“. The prefrontal cortex is the brain’s emotional regulation region, with the ability to filter and control emotions.
A overthinker is said to have a dysfunctional prefrontal cortex, leading to a tendency to depression. The amygdala and the hippocampus, which are the seats of learning and memory for emotional situations, are sometimes found to be impaired in people prone to depression and rumination. Conversely, an overactive amygdala can lead to hypersensitivity and more easily store information generating intense emotions.
What are the characteristics of overthinking?
Being an overthinker means thinking non-stop!
These signs and characteristics of mental retardation can serve as a first clue to understanding how it works.
The following signs are good indicators of hyperthinking:
1- Regular rehashing
Overthinkers constantly recall their day, their discussions, their situations with a rather negative filter… These thoughts take over, especially in the evening when the brain is idle. Bedtime is a special time for overthinkers. overthinkers which explains their frequent insomnia.
2- Low self-esteem
The overthinkers find it hard to grasp their value, to see their qualities. They have very low self-esteem.
3- Constantly challenging yourself
The overthinkers question themselves all the time, because they feel they’re never up to scratch and never do enough.
4- Perfectionism
The overthinkers put a lot of pressure on themselves to get everything just right. Perfection avoids failure and questioning. If an overthinker turns in a job he feels is imperfect, he’ll brood and feel guilty several times over… Perfectionism is a means of defense and eviction for hyperthinkers.
3- Extrralucidity and over-interpretation
This hyperthinking allows overthinkers to perceive many details, which reinforces their intuition and their ability to anticipate situations, find solutions, decipher their surroundings, etc… Unfortunately, this can make them a little paranoid, as their over-interpretation can play tricks on them.
4- Emotional and sensory hypersensitivity
The overthinkers experience things tenfold. It’s as if hyperthinking exacerbates the senses. In fact, it’s linked to hyperesthesia.
5- A highly developed memory
The hyperthinkers remember many situations in minute detail. That’s why they ruminate so much and relive a discussion or conflict over and over again!
6. An overheated, buggy brain
When the hyperthinker doesn’t understand a situation, such as a conflict or a remark, he or she will find it hard to move on and experience the event over and over again. It’s as if he becomes stuck and is unable to rise above the situation.
7- False self and irritability
A overthinker has a hard time fitting in. He’s often been out of step with others since childhood, which can force him to wear a social mask, also known as a false self. Hyperthinking is energy-guzzling. The overthinkers tend to over-adapt in society. Over time, they become exhausted and irritable.
Being an overthinker means constantly analyzing everything!
The slightest question that might seem trivial to you remains special in their minds. It’s about analyzing every situation that could happen to them; both in a situation and with a person. A overthinker is rarely surprised.
He can think about several different subjects at the same time, and is often in his own bubble. The most insensitive subject for you,
may become the primary thought of an
overthinker
.
He usually has his heart in the right place, and will always want you to feel good. He’ll be the first to want to help you, but he’ll also be the first to wonder what you think of him.
A overthinker doesn’t help you, he gives you love!
Victoria
Overthinker: what are the day-to-day consequences?
The negativity associated with poorly controlled hyperthinking is very difficult to live with on a daily basis. We brood without being able to find ways to relax and calm down. Overthinkers are often hypersensitive and hyperempathetic. The stimuli and thoughts accumulate without being prioritized. It’s linked to hyperesthesia.
A hyperthinker is more subject to stress
A overthinker asks himself countless questions, both about his own life and that of others. This can cause enormous stress, bordering on anxiety, for an overthinker . Even the most zen-like situation can’t help but be called into question.
Overthinker and chronic fatigue
A brain working at 100km/h also has a limit. A
overthinker
can last a day, a week, a month, at a
At some point, her body will tell her to stop. He may experience intense fatigue and lack of concentration. He’ll need time to rest before he can get back to a more pleasant daily life.
Lack of understanding from family and friends
“Why are you thinking about this?”, “Stop stressing over nothing.”, “It’s simple, stop thinking!”
This is what an
overthinker
may hear repeatedly. You can’t ask an
overthinker
to stop thinking. It’s like asking them not to breathe. It’s an automatism that’s been with us since birth, and it’s difficult to control full-time. A feeling of incomprehension and guilt may arise: “Why don’t I think like everyone else?”
It’s a factor that can make things even worse; he’ll feel alone, different.
A hyperthinker is more subject to stress.
An overthinker is more likely to trigger chronic fatigue.
The incomprehension of those around them can be difficult for a hyperthinker.
In the long run, the risk is that he’ll isolate himself and close himself off in his own thought bubble.
Some characteristics of hyperthinkers may be similar to those of HPI people. Simply because all people identified as High Potential are overthinkers . People with Asperger’s, ASD, hyperempathy and hypersensitivity are also overthinkers.
What’s the difference between an HPI and a hyperthinker?
Being HPI means having a brain that is more efficient, faster, more productive and more developed in its functioning between these different areas.
One person to High Potential has this invasive thought, but all overthinkers are HPI. There are some HPIs who master this characteristic very well, in which case the brain becomes an exceptional tool for making incredible connections.
What a High Potential person also possesses is a great capacity for learning and a facility for seeing beyond limits, where the hyper-thinker tends to erect walls in front of himself. People with HPI who have difficulty finding their place face the same problems on a daily basis.
Would you like to know if you are HPI or Hypersensitive?
Fortunately, there are ways to control your thinking and turn it into a force for personal, professional and interpersonal development.
You can also find more information, resources and tools on Giftedness in Mel POINAS‘ book. With a lot of humor, Mel tells the story of the discovery of her giftedness and the routines she put in place to finally find her place!
Le livre
Écrit par une HPI !
Un témoignage et des solutions concrètes pour découvrir, comprendre et apprendre à vivre en étant HPI.
To go further, you can read
- HPI, an introduction to personal development
- Personal development, an indispensable tool for HPI sufferers
- Gifted, learning to manage your fears
- Learn to let go!
- What is HPI?
