Yes, based on how beliefs are formed through repetition, overthinking can indeed make you believe certain things.
The Link Between Repetition and Belief
Overthinking often involves dwelling on specific thoughts, concerns, or feelings in a repetitive manner. This repetitive mental activity is key to how beliefs can be established. The reference states, "What you repetitively tell yourself and how you continually describe yourself — becomes what you believe and are."
This principle suggests that the sheer act of repeating certain thoughts, whether positive or negative, reinforces them in your mind, eventually solidifying them into beliefs. While the reference also notes that overthinking "will not help you in any way or develop new insights," it highlights its nature as a repetitive process focused on internal states ("dwelling on how terrible you feel") and external circumstances ("contemplating all the things you have no control over").
Therefore, if overthinking consists of repetitively focusing on particular ideas or self-descriptions, those repeated thoughts can transition from temporary considerations into ingrained beliefs.
What Kinds of Beliefs Can Overthinking Foster?
Given that overthinking, as described in the reference, often involves dwelling on negative feelings and perceived lack of control, the beliefs formed through this process are frequently negative or limiting.
Examples of beliefs that might be fostered by repetitive overthinking include:
- Beliefs about one's own capabilities (e.g., "I can't handle this," "I'm not good enough").
- Beliefs about the future (e.g., "Things will never get better," "Something bad is always going to happen").
- Beliefs about one's self-worth (e.g., "I am a failure," "I am unlovable").
- Beliefs about the world (e.g., "The world is a dangerous place," "Nobody can be trusted").
These beliefs aren't necessarily formed through logical analysis or new insights (which the reference says overthinking doesn't provide), but rather through the simple, powerful mechanism of repetition of the underlying thoughts or self-talk.
Overthinking and the Power of Internal Narrative
It's crucial to understand that it is the specific content of the repetitive thoughts within overthinking that shapes the belief. The act of overthinking provides the medium (repetition), and the internal narrative provides the message. If the message is repeated constantly, it is absorbed as truth, influencing not only what you believe but also how you see yourself and your reality.
