Prof. Dr. Tarhan: "'Efkârlıyım' is the exact Turkish equivalent of Overthinking"

Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that overthinking can decrease as one ages, but has significantly increased in modern life, saying, "'Efkârlıyım' is the exact Turkish equivalent of Overthinking." Tarhan pointed out that overthinking disorder leads to analysis paralysis, explaining, "Analysis paralysis means a person becomes blocked from analyzing a subject. The brains of such individuals cannot stop thinking. They cannot sleep, their sleep is disrupted, or they take refuge in sleep, completely giving themselves over to it, like an escape."

Üsküdar University Founding Rector, Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, provided information about Overthinking (overthinking disorder).

One who combines thought with emotions can find the truth…

Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, referring to 'The Thinker' sculpture produced by French sculptor Rodin, said, "He is still thinking. We created an alternative, 'The Feeling Human' sculpture. It is even the symbol of the university. We also made a model of it. It's not just thinking; if a person combines thought with emotions, they can find the truth and escape this overthinking pathology, this disease."

There are areas in the human brain responsible for emotions…

Tarhan, pointing out that emotion and thought should be together, noted the following:
"Previously, Descartes said, 'I think, therefore I am.' Humans were considered thinking beings, and a revolution occurred in psychology in the 1990s. Areas responsible for emotions emerged in the human brain. In other words, emotions are not just a metaphysical subject but also have a biological counterpart. Every emotion has a counterpart in the brain, and a special chemical mixture related to each emotion is pumped into the blood, and our body functions accordingly. Our brain functions accordingly. All emotions have a chemical counterpart. Beyond that, emotions have now become a scientific category." 
Tarhan stated that 'The Feeling Man' was now made into 'The Feeling Human' to emphasize gender equality, and said, "It's a sculpture as if half of its body is missing, and we've patented it. By the way, the sculpture seems to be thinking but has partial voids in its body. In other words, it makes people think."

"'Efkârlıyım' is the exact Turkish equivalent of Overthinking"

Tarhan said, "Today, it is accepted that emotions such as anger, resentment, hatred, and love have a chemical counterpart in the brain." He added that the symbol of the feeling human symbolizes the activation of positive emotions, the cultivation of benevolent emotions instead of malevolent ones, and aims to create awareness about emotions.

Tarhan, pointing to 'Overthinking', or overthinking disorder, said, "'Efkârlıyım' is the exact Turkish equivalent of Overthinking."
Tarhan, also stating that overthinking can decrease as one ages but has significantly increased, especially in modern life, continued: 

"Now, we are in an era of fast-paced living and high expectation levels for goals. Expectations are high, life is fast-paced, and there is fierce competition, which glorifies competition. The current global system, glorifying competition and with people's high expectations, constantly drives expectations to earn more, be ahead, and be more successful." 

Overthinking also increases where malevolence exists

Tarhan, explaining the emergence process of capitalism, stated the following:

"Competitiveness actually gave birth to civilization, but this time its dosage could not be adjusted. There is non-peaceful competitiveness. What is there in non-peaceful competitiveness? It became a destructive competition, like hindering others instead of setting a goal for oneself and surpassing it. Overthinking also increases where malevolence exists. Envy and serious jealousy arise. There is also arrogance in the background of envy. Those with narcissistic personality traits have a sense of grandeur, arrogance. Envy then accompanies it because they say, 'I don't have it, so they shouldn't either.' 

The global system has propagated the successful, unhappy human type  

An approach of "only I should have it" leads to destructive competition. Such individuals cannot be happy anyway. These individuals have a fear of not being successful, of being ordinary. Driven by the fear of being ordinary, they overwork, overthink, and also make many discoveries. They are known as successful individuals. The current global system has propagated the successful, unhappy human type. Here, balancing the two is what's important."

They dwell on a very insignificant detail and miss the bigger goal

Tarhan, stating that overthinking cases are frequently encountered in psychiatric clinics, said, "We tell people, 'it's as if you are lynching yourself'. They think to such an extent that they do themselves injustice, devalue themselves; anxiety, depression, fear, burnout, loneliness, substance addiction, all of which lead to suicide, have the inability to manage thoughts in their background."

Tarhan, pointing out that perfectionism is also a significant factor, said, "For example, these individuals say success is in the details, and they delve into details in everything. Success is in the details, but those who delve into details without time management or creating a time pyramid, dwell on a very insignificant detail and miss the bigger goal. Therefore, in such situations, when saying success is in the details, if you delve into unnecessary details, the devil is also in the details. The way to prevent this is to think systematically, to be purposeful. Individuals with a pyramid of importance and priority manage their thoughts and prevent overthinking."

Their brains cannot stop thinking

Prof. Dr. Tarhan also pointed out that overthinking disorder causes analysis paralysis, saying, "Analysis paralysis means a person becomes blocked from analyzing a subject. The brains of such individuals cannot stop thinking. They cannot sleep, their sleep is disrupted, or they take refuge in sleep, completely giving themselves over to it, like an escape. Anxious individuals also cannot sleep at all."

Tarhan stated that thinking the same things over and over, turning right and left (restless thinking), is called rumination, and that it is mental rumination, and noted that being mentally strong is more important than being physically strong.

Tarhan, asking "How do we make decisions?", said, "Here, the decision-making mechanism, known as willpower, indicates that a person is mentally strong." He explained that one of the most conducted studies in psychology is 'How do we make decisions?' research, and that problem-focused thinkers fall into the process of analysis paralysis.

Problem-focused thinkers spend time with regrets 

Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan said, "For example, if the meteorology reported a storm coming, an overthinker here would think problem-focused, saying, 'I wish it wouldn't come, it will be very bad, the house will be damaged, it will flood, why is it like this?' But a solution-focused thinker would take precautions by saying, 'I should go out and gather the flowers, I should do this to prevent the flood, I should place sandbags, I should do that.' Here, the problem-focused thinker spends time with regrets and tires their brain. There is such information traffic, signal flow in the brain. The signal flow moves simultaneously with chemical communication." 

One needs to change the focus of attention 

Tarhan noted that the responsible areas in the brains of overthinking individuals are blocked, saying, "Here, problem-focused thinkers constantly send 'cars' to that 'traffic,' meaning information traffic. What needs to be done is to change the focus of attention… By changing the focus of interest, or by taking a note of the subject and saying 'I'll do it later', distributing that subject and moving on to another, the decision-making area of the brain relaxes. When it relaxes, the mechanism can again resolve that issue. Otherwise, because it is blocked, it cannot resolve it. When it cannot resolve it, it becomes more restless."

Tarhan also stated that the word 'never' is very common among individuals who use it, and that a person who says 'I will never be defeated' starts to overthink when the possibility of defeat arises, saying, "For example, instead of 'never,' the word 'always' makes them think 'I am always successful,' believing this to be self-confidence. However, a person cannot always be successful; failure is also a part of being successful. Flexible thinking is required towards success. Individuals who cannot think flexibly, which is scientifically called 'cognitive flexibility,' those who possess it can currently generate plan B or C for themselves."

Obsession, rumination occurs on negative topics

Tarhan stated that individuals who speak sharply become unable to think of anything else, saying, "They cannot relax; they are in an anxious state. They feel mentally exhausted. They are called obsessive types, who often have obsessions, rumination, mental chewing on negative topics..."

Tarhan also explained that calculable, risk-taking individuals make decisions easily, saying, "Individuals who cannot take risks, those who are afraid of taking risks, work defensively to protect the existing situation. Even if they play football, they are in defense. They are closer to the pathology of overthinking." 

Tarhan also stated that the tendency to think of the worst-case scenario means individuals have incessant voices in their heads, and that those who are solution-oriented and prefer analysis are often anxious individuals who are more problem-focused thinkers.

Tarhan, noting that perfectionism is important but also causes trouble for people, said, "In psychiatric cases, we teach alternative thinking techniques to these individuals. After a certain period, there is a biological deterioration in the brain, the brain's chemistry is disrupted, and we correct this." 

The brain is the organ that produces emotions, thoughts, and behaviors, and makes decisions

Tarhan, stating that therapy cannot be received without correcting the brain's chemistry, said, "Our brain is the organ that produces emotions, thoughts, and behaviors, and makes decisions. When its function is disrupted, changes in emotion, thought, and behavior occur. Overthinking occurs, excessive emotional intensity occurs, sadness occurs, grief and sorrow occur, it becomes depressive. Thought disorganization occurs, psychosis develops. All of these are dysfunctions of our brain, but there is a mind above our brain. This mind needs to manage them like an orchestra conductor. Therapies are actually about teaching a person to manage their brain like an orchestra conductor. Managing thought is also like that; someone who is their own leader manages their thoughts."

Tarhan also explained that individuals with an excessive sense of responsibility and who are overly perfectionistic cannot be indifferent, saying, "Of course, a person cannot always be indifferent in life. But it is necessary to be able to adjust where you will be relaxed, where you will be more careful, where you will speed up like driving a car, and where you will slow down. A person needs to allow themselves free time for 20 percent of the day."

Tarhan, emphasizing the importance of looking at oneself from above, like from a helicopter, and seeing faults one could not see before, said, "Indeed, the most important thing in thought management is awareness. After becoming aware, that is fifty percent of the solution, awareness itself. As a solution, the distraction method is usually mentioned. We also advise to concretize the thought. If you see you can't solve it, write it down on paper, concretize it," he concluded.