Over thinking explained: Inside the mind of an over thinker

We know we're overthinkers, but we can't help it. Sorry. Photo / Getty Images.

I have a few (a lot) annoying personality traits. But being an over thinker has got to be my worst.

Being an over thinker is painful. Honestly, it's more painful than watching Gem at 5pm on a Saturday arvo. (In saying that Scooby Doo re-runs are kinda great if your hungover and can't afford Netflix).

If you're not an over thinker — I'm jealous. Anyone who is an over thinker is jealous of your life.

You name it, I've over thought it. Literally everything. From picking a nail polish colour, to what I want for dinner, to what someone said to me on a bus 18 years ago keeps me up at night. I'm in the process of trying to buy a house but the over thinking stops me at every turn.

"What if I pay too much? What if this house is actually haunted? What if I see a better house in a week?, Is this house resellable? Is the backyard big enough if I want to own an alpaca one day?".

Even writing this article I've over thought a zillion times and then again. It's exhausting.

For some insight, this is an over thinker when buying a hat:

"I love this hat. Should I buy it? It's expensive, but I haven't bought myself anything in ages but the same time you don't need to reward yourself. I could wear it in summer heaps, but will I wear it? What if I don't use it? Where will I put it? Do I have any space? It doesn't look that good on me. I think it makes me look fat. No, I hate this hat. But what if I don't buy it and regret it and come back to buy it and it's sold out?"

This is someone who is not an over thinker buying a hat:

"Cool hat. I'll buy it"

Here is a list of things you should know if you're dating, married to, work with or know an over thinker:

• You decide where we're going to eat. Just pick for us both otherwise well both go hungry and no one wants that.

• Actually, you should decide on most things for us.

• When you text us, say exactly what you mean — just tell us straight up, otherwise our minds fill in the blanks.

• We say sorry a lot. We don't mean too. We read hidden meaning into nearly every interaction. So, we end up apologising a lot — just to be safe. Sorry.

• We can't let things go easily. We're convinced that if we just run over the details one more time, we'll finally uncover some new understanding of the situation. We know it's annoying. Sorry. See above.

• We have very active imaginations. We will imagine entire things that aren't there. (It's annoying for us too … believe us, we don't wanna be like this!)

• Don't ever say to us, "I have something I want to talk to you about, we'll talk about it later" … NOPE!

Remember, we are always in our heads, so If you can help an over thinker to live in the moment, and be present they will love you forever (or at least until they start over thinking again).