You think you're analyzing the situation to death but instead it feels like you're just spinning your wheels without any real progress.

你以為自己分析得頭頭是道，卻感覺自己只是在原地打轉，沒有任何實際進展。

This kind of mental struggle can feel frustrating and exhausting leaving you mentally drained and no closer to a solution.

這種心理掙扎會讓人感到沮喪和疲憊，讓你精神萎靡，無法找到解決辦法。

I'm Dr. Tracey Marks a psychiatrist and I make mental health education videos.

我是特蕾西-馬克斯（Tracey Marks）博士，一名精神病學家，我製作心理健康教育視頻。

Today I want to talk about something that many of us struggle with overthinking versus problem solving.

今天，我想談談我們中許多人在過度思考與解決問題之間掙扎的問題。

Knowing the difference between the two is important not only for our mental well-being but also for making effective decisions.

瞭解這兩者之間的區別不僅對我們的心理健康很重要，而且對做出有效的決策也很重要。

When we confuse overthinking with problem solving we often end up stuck feeling more anxious or overwhelmed.

當我們把過度思考與解決問題混為一談時，最終往往會陷入更加焦慮或不知所措的境地。

So let's first look at overthinking.

是以，讓我們先來看看過度思考。

Overthinking is when you find yourself stuck in a loop of excessive thoughts about a problem or a situation without moving toward a solution.

過度思考是指你發現自己陷入了對問題或情況的過度思考循環中，卻沒有找到解決方法。

You might replay conversations in your head, dissect every detail, or imagine countless what-if scenarios all in an attempt to avoid making mistakes or to try and control every possible outcome.

你可能會在腦海中回放對話，剖析每一個細節，或想象無數種假設情景，試圖避免犯錯或控制每一種可能的結果。

However this kind of thinking doesn't lead to clarity or resolution.

然而，這種想法不會帶來清晰的思路或解決辦法。

Instead it often leads to feeling more anxious, overwhelmed, or paralyzed with indecision.

相反，這往往會讓人感到更加焦慮、不知所措或猶豫不決。

Now let's look at problem solving.

現在，讓我們來看看問題的解決。

Problem solving is a focused and structured approach to addressing a specific issue with the aim of finding a solution.

解決問題是一種有重點、有條理地處理具體問題的方法，目的是找到解決辦法。

Unlike overthinking which is often driven by fear and uncertainty, problem solving is about being goal-oriented.

過度思考往往是由恐懼和不確定性驅動的，而解決問題則不同，它是以目標為導向的。

It involves clearly identifying the problem, brainstorming potential solutions, and then taking actionable steps toward resolving the issue.

這包括明確問題所在，集思廣益找出可能的解決方案，然後採取可行的措施解決問題。

Problem solving has a beginning, a middle, and an end.

解決問題有開始、中間和結尾。

You start by defining what you need to solve, gathering the necessary information, and then you work through a plan.

首先要確定需要解決的問題，收集必要的資訊，然後制定計劃。

The focus is on moving forward rather than rehashing and revisiting things.

重點是向前邁進，而不是翻來覆去地重溫舊事。

So when you're in problem solving mode you're taking practical steps toward a resolution and then there's a sense of progress even if it's slow progress.

是以，當你處於解決問題的狀態時，你就會採取切實可行的措施來解決問題，即使進展緩慢，也會有一種進步感。

So how can you tell when you're overthinking?

那麼，如何判斷自己是否想得太多呢？

Here are some common signs.

以下是一些常見的徵兆。

You find yourself replaying the same scenarios in your mind without coming to a decision or a resolution.

你會發現自己在腦海中重現同樣的情景，卻無法做出決定或解決。

After thinking about a problem you feel more stuck, anxious, or mentally drained than when you started.

思考問題後，你會感到比開始時更困頓、焦慮或精神疲憊。

Your thoughts focus more on what-ifs and worst-case scenarios than on practical actionable solutions.

你的想法更多集中在 "如果 "和最壞的情況，而不是實際可行的解決方案。

And these signs indicate that your thinking isn't moving forward, instead it's looping back on itself leading to the frustration and helplessness.

這些跡象表明，你的思維沒有向前發展，而是在自我循環，導致挫敗感和無助感。

What makes this happen?

是什麼導致了這種情況的發生？

A few things are fear and uncertainty and emotional Fear of making the wrong decision, fear of the unknown, and even fear of what others might think can all trigger overthinking.

有幾種情況是恐懼、不確定性和情緒化 害怕做出錯誤的決定，害怕未知，甚至害怕別人的看法，這些都會引發過度思考。

Being consumed with these fears can make you analyze every possible outcome and every potential risk leading to what some people call analysis paralysis.

沉浸在這些恐懼中會讓你分析每一種可能的結果和每一種潛在的風險，從而導致一些人所說的分析癱瘓。

This is where you're so overwhelmed by all the possibilities that you end up doing nothing at all.

在這種情況下，你會被所有的可能性衝昏頭腦，最終什麼也做不了。

When it to uncertainty, people who lean toward an anxious temperament often have a much lower tolerance for uncertainty.

在面對不確定性時，焦慮型性格的人對不確定性的容忍度往往要低得多。

And if this is you, not knowing an answer or an outcome feels very unsettling.

如果你是這樣的人，不知道答案或結果會讓你感到非常不安。

And this uncertainty intolerance is closely tied to the need to have control over your circumstances.

而這種對不確定性的不容忍與需要控制自己的處境密切相關。

Some people are just wired to need more granular control over things while others are fine going with the flow and just seeing what happens.

有些人就是需要對事情進行更細化的控制，而有些人則順其自然，看看會發生什麼。

The more you need to control, the more anxious you can become with uncertainty and the more likely you are to get caught up in thought loops about what if scenarios.

你越需要控制，就越容易因不確定性而焦慮，也就越容易陷入 "如果 "的思考循環中。

So those are the fear and anxiety drivers.

這些就是恐懼和焦慮的驅動因素。

Then there are emotional triggers.

然後是情緒觸發器。

Past mistakes, perfectionism, or self-doubt can make you overanalyze even small decisions.

過去的錯誤、完美主義或自我懷疑會讓你過度分析哪怕是很小的決定。

For example, if you've made a mistake in the past, you might overthink similar situations in the future to avoid making the same error again.

例如，如果你過去犯過錯誤，那麼今後在類似的情況下，你可能會過度思考，以避免再犯同樣的錯誤。

Or if you need things to be perfect, you can overthink every detail to prevent any chance of failure.

或者，如果你要求事情盡善盡美，你就會對每個細節都想得太多，以防止任何失敗的可能。

Emotions like these can cloud your judgment and keep you stuck in a loop of overthinking.

這樣的情緒會影響你的判斷力，讓你陷入過度思考的怪圈。

A helpful way to recognize this is to notice when your thoughts are by emotions rather than facts.

認識到這一點的一個有用方法就是注意你的想法是由情緒而不是事實引起的。

Ask yourself, am I thinking this way because it's logical or am I responding to a past experience that's no longer relevant but I'm still thinking about it?

捫心自問，我這樣想是因為它合乎邏輯，還是我對過去的經歷做出了反應，雖然它已不再重要，但我仍在思考它？

By becoming aware of these signs, triggers, and emotional drivers, you can start to differentiate between when you're genuinely problem-solving and when you're overthinking.

通過意識到這些跡象、觸發因素和情緒驅動因素，你就能開始區分什麼時候是真正在解決問題，什麼時候是想得太多。

So let's look at how you can shift from overthinking to productive problem-solving.

是以，讓我們來看看如何從過度思考轉變為富有成效地解決問題。

One thing you can do is identify the root of your thoughts.

你可以做的一件事就是找出思想的根源。

Get clear about what's on your mind.

清楚自己在想什麼。

Ask yourself, what exactly am I trying to solve here?

捫心自問，我到底要解決什麼問題？

Or is this a real problem or just a what-if scenario?

這究竟是一個現實問題，還是一個假設？

Overthinking is often vague and lacks structure, so it's easy to spiral into endless possibilities.

過度思考往往是模糊的，缺乏條理，是以很容易陷入無窮無盡的可能性中。

Start by pinpointing what's actually bothering you.

首先要找出真正困擾你的問題。

For example, if you find yourself worrying about an upcoming presentation at work, ask yourself if you're concerned about the content or if you're worried about how you'll be perceived or if it's something else entirely.

例如，如果你發現自己在擔心即將到來的工作演講，問問自己是在擔心演講內容，還是在擔心別人對你的看法，抑或完全是其他原因。

You can break down vague worries into specific actionable issues by identifying what makes you uneasy.

你可以通過確定是什麼讓你感到不安，將模糊的擔憂分解為具體的可操作問題。

Once you've done that, you can start to focus on what's within your control and then move toward finding a solution.

一旦你做到了這一點，你就可以開始關注你能控制的事情，然後著手尋找解決方案。

Another strategy is to set time limits on your thinking.

另一個策略是為自己的思考設定時間限制。

Give yourself 15 to 20 minutes to brainstorm possible solutions to a specific problem.

給自己 15 到 20 分鐘的時間，針對某個具體問題集思廣益，找出可能的解決方案。

Once the timer goes off, it's time to move into action mode.

計時器一響，就該進入行動模式了。

This approach works because it sets a boundary around your thinking, preventing it from drifting into overthinking.

這種方法之所以有效，是因為它為你的思維設置了一個界限，防止你的思維陷入過度思考。

It also encourages decisiveness and action.

它還鼓勵果斷和行動。

Often when you know that you have limited time, you'll be more likely to focus on the more important aspects of a problem rather than getting caught up in irrelevant details.

通常情況下，當你知道自己的時間有限時，你就更有可能專注於問題中更重要的方面，而不是糾纏於無關緊要的細節。

What if you don't come up with a solution in that time period?

如果您在這段時間內沒有找到解決方案怎麼辦？

Then make a note of where you left off or note possibilities that you thought of so that you can pick up where you left off in another timed session.

然後記下你離開的地方，或記下你想到的可能性，這樣你就可以在另一次計時會議上繼續你離開的地方。

It's often helpful to give yourself a mental break and return to the problem fresh.

讓自己在精神上休息一下，然後重新回到問題上來，往往會很有幫助。

Another thing you can do is to challenge your thoughts with questions.

你可以做的另一件事是用問題來質疑自己的想法。

Overthinking is often driven by assumptions and fears rather than facts.

過度思考的驅動力往往是假設和恐懼，而不是事實。

Ask yourself questions like, what's the worst thing that happened?

問問自己，最糟糕的事情是什麼？

Is this thought based on reality or am I assuming a negative consequence based on my own fears?

這種想法是基於現實，還是我基於自己的恐懼而假設了負面後果？

What is within my control right now?

我現在能控制什麼？

These questions help ground you in reality and shift your focus from fear-based thinking to practical action.

這些問題有助於你立足現實，將注意力從恐懼思維轉移到實際行動上來。

They can also help you separate emotional reasoning from logical reasoning, allowing you to make more rational decisions.

它們還能幫助你將情感推理與邏輯推理區分開來，讓你做出更理性的決定。

The last suggestion to break the overthinking cycle is using mindfulness.

打破過度思考循環的最後一個建議是使用正念。

When you're caught in a thought spiral, mindfulness techniques like focusing on the present moment, deep breathing, or a body scan can help pull you back into the here and now.

當你陷入思想漩渦時，專注於當下、深呼吸或身體掃描等正念技巧可以幫助你回到此時此地。

Overthinking involves dwelling on the past or worrying about the future, so bringing your attention back to the present can be incredibly grounding.

過度思考包括沉湎於過去或擔心未來，是以把注意力拉回到當下會讓人感到無比踏實。

A simple mindfulness exercise you can try anywhere is the 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 grounding technique.

你可以在任何地方嘗試一種簡單的正念練習，那就是 5、4、3、2、1 接地技術。

You may have heard of it, but here it is.

你可能聽說過，但它就在這裡。

Acknowledge or name five things you can see around you, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste.

確認或說出你能在周圍看到的五樣東西、能觸摸到的四樣東西、能聽到的三樣東西、能聞到的兩樣東西和能嚐到的一樣東西。

This exercise helps interrupt the overthinking loop and brings you to the present moment where you have more control over your thoughts and actions.

這個練習有助於打斷過度思考的循環，讓你回到當下，在這裡你可以更好地控制自己的想法和行動。

And there are lots of grounding exercises that you can do.

你可以做很多接地練習。

Another is picking a color and then naming or acknowledging all the objects in the room with that color.

另一種方法是選擇一種顏色，然後說出或承認房間裡所有帶有這種顏色的物體。

I give you a bunch of grounding exercises and other tools to manage your anxiety in my book, Why Am I So Anxious?

我在《我為何如此焦慮？

You can get it wherever books are sold, but I'll have the Amazon link in the description.

你可以在任何賣書的地方買到這本書，但我會在描述中提供亞馬遜鏈接。

So let's recap.

讓我們來回顧一下。

Overthinking and problem solving are two very different mental processes.

過度思考和解決問題是兩種截然不同的心理過程。

Overthinking often traps you in a loop of worry and doubt, while problem solving is about moving forward with clarity and purpose.

過度思考往往會讓你陷入擔憂和懷疑的怪圈，而解決問題則需要明確目標，勇往直前。

You can break free from the cycle of overthinking by recognizing the signs of overthinking, understanding the role of fear and uncertainty and emotional triggers, and then using strategies like setting time limits and asking the right questions and practicing mindfulness.

你可以通過識別過度思考的跡象，瞭解恐懼、不確定性和情緒觸發器的作用，然後使用設定時間限制、提出正確的問題和練習正念等策略，擺脫過度思考的惡性循環。

If you find yourself stuck in thought loops, try using some of these strategies to shift your mindset and start taking actionable steps.

如果你發現自己陷入了思維怪圈，可以嘗試使用以下一些策略來轉變你的心態，並開始採取可行的措施。

The goal isn't to completely stop thinking, but to direct your thoughts in a way that leads you to real solutions.

我們的目標並不是完全停止思考，而是引導你的思考，讓你找到真正的解決方案。

For more tips on managing anxiety and building better mental health habits, watch these two videos on managing worry and what it means to have an anxious temperament.

如需瞭解更多關於控制焦慮和養成更好的心理健康習慣的技巧，請觀看這兩段視頻，瞭解如何控制憂慮以及焦慮氣質的含義。

Thanks for watching today.

感謝您收看今天的節目。

See you next time.

下次再見