Women Who Think Too Much: How to Break Free of Overthinking and Reclaim Your Life

Practically everyone agonizes over decisions or situations from time to time, but overthinkers carry analysis and introspection to unhealthy extremes, ""getting caught in torrents of negative thoughts and emotions,""according to this book. Even minor events can trigger a chain of second-guessing in which negative emotions are ""amplified instead of managed."" Kneading damaging thoughts like dough, overthinkers fall victim to a ""yeast effect"" that causes negativity to grow and take control of their lives, distort their perspectives and damage relationships, careers and emotional (and perhaps physical) health. Nolen-Hoeksema, a University of Michigan psychology professor and author of five professional books, explores why people overthink, contends and explains why too much thinking is predominantly a woman's disease and prescribes a three-step program to overcome overthinking. Citing many studies (including her own) and occasionally zooming in on particular cases, she offers no-nonsense, reasoned and easy-to-understand advice and strategies, as well as a quiz to help readers recognize their own patterns of overthought.