Why do I think so so much?

Bob,

Hello, it is very nice to meet you! You ask an excellent question, one that is also difficult to answer. The excessive worry and negative thinking is a main symptom of anxiety. Anxiety is the illogical or irrational worry or fear about something. If you and I were working together is therapy, I would encourage you to not focus on the reasons why you are thinking this way, but rather, identify alternative ways of thinking. I would want to work with you to identify and develop coping strategies, such as deep breathing techniques, relaxation techniques, exercise strategies, journalling, etc.

One very important thing to remember and recognize is that everything in your life falls into one of two categories, either something you have control over or something you do not have control over. Simply put, you only have control over yourself, your words, your actions, etc. Everything/everyone else is not in your control. So, when you start to worry about things, ask yourself if it is something which you can control. If it is not, give yourself permission to stop thinking about it and reframe that thought into something else. 

Some additional strategies include, asking yourself these questions when you find yourself worrying:

"Is this thought/worry/anxiety based on facts or feelings?"

"Is there any evidence to support this thought/worry/fear?"

"How likely is it that this worry/thought/fear will come true?"

"If a friend was telling me that they were experiencing this thought, what would I say to them?"

"If this thought/anxiety/worry/fear actually did come true, what is the worst that could happen?"

You took the first step by reaching out and asking the question. Be kind to yourself and remind yourself of your positive qualities. This is particularly important if you find that you tend to be hard on yourself and critical of yourself. If you think less of yourself, you are more likely to also assume others think less of you, even if there is no evidence to support this.

I hope that you have found this information helpful and I wish you all the best moving forward in your journey.