Knowing where you fall on the extrovert-introvert spectrum isn’t that necessary. What should concern you is where you fall when it comes to overthinking spectrum. It is common knowledge that overthinking worries can bring several negative side effects on people’s mental, emotional and social well-being. However, recent studies have found that overthinking is not necessarily bad.
The recent studies conducted by researchers at King’s College shows that overthinking worries can be the mind’s creative tool in disguise. The obvious question that you may be thinking of asking right now is why this is so. They found that the area in the brain that is activated when one is worrying too much is the same when one is engaging in creative thinking. They concurred that those who possess overthinking traits have creative minds.
Their findings were supported by a simple analogy that worries drive human beings to become innovative and creative. Our ancestors were worrying too much about starvation, hence discovered hunting tools and eventually invented agriculture. In the modern world, some countries such as Iran worry that western countries will attack them, thus coming up with weapons of mass destruction.
The researchers headed by Dr. Adam Perkins, a professor of Neurobiology of Personality, also found a connection between overthinking worries and a stronger imagination. They found that those who possess overthinking traits are always in limbo, thus willing to imagine a plethora of ways that can mitigate any imminent harm. They find creative ways to solve or deal with work-related tasks, everyday problems and improve their safety.
In the ancient times, our ancestors had incredible imaginations that normally developed to act as a self-preservation mechanism. They were able to feed themselves freely during summer seasons. But they also imagined the winter season when food would be scarce and developed ways to save whatever little they had. They always hunted down animals and gathered more food that they could consume and find ways to preserve some. Worrying too much about food and other things enabled them come up with safety measures of coping with life during worse times.
There are several examples of worries being a mother of ingenuity. For instance, people tend to improve their home safety by using latest technology locks. Those who are more concerned about their safety tuck a gun in a secure place to deal with any impending attackers. Those who worry too much about their safety are not only concerned about external threats but also worry too much about the possibility of their children finding the gun. This makes them come up with creative ways of improving their safety. They come up with ingenious ways of protecting their homes and family. There might not be any danger at the moment, but think of all possible scenarios and tend to prepare for them.
If you suffer from full-blown anxiety or intend to worry too much, engaging in some types of creative activities could help you overcome the negative effects if overthinking. The hypothesis explained by Dr. Adam Perkins will not cost you anything if you decide to test it. Always try sharpening those powers of creative and imagination problem solving and see what good they can bring to you.