Overthinking is causing my pain

I’m starting to understand why my brain is creating constant symptoms for me. I am a major overthinker. I’m constantly battling with some of the most important existential questions everyday that are faced by people: “Who am I, who do I want to be? What are my real values? What is truly important in my life? Is my life really meaningful? What is my actual purpose in life? What stops me from doing the things I know I should be doing?” And on and on the questions go. It’s very taxing on the brain. It’s like I’m demanding answers from my brain that it simply doesn’t have, and it perceives this pressure to get all these answers as a threat and danger. It creates pain to distract me from the "threat" of my constant existential crisis.
The only thing it knows what to do In response is to create distraction in the form of pain and other symptoms. I’m not presenting these questions to my brain as a joyful exploration to seek out. It’s not lighthearted. It's not some fun intriguing puzzle to be solved. It’s a straight up demand. I want answers and I want them. NOW. I might as well be holding my brain at gunpoint. It’s really no wonder I’m constantly in pain. And I never address or change my thought life. I am constantly focused on the pain and getting rid of it, which is just perpetuating the symptom imperative.

Can anyone relate to this at all? Am I on to something?

 

Hello. I can relate to this. I have chronic migraine. They come in the night. Every night. I wake with them.
I've been trying mind body for 10 years. And never get anywhere. Just more tense. More pain.

 

What I have learned in life is not to overthink because it's not helping, in fact, it only creates problems that aren't there.

 

You are definitely on to something, very insightful! It reminds me of an audio counselling from Alan Gordon's original pain programme of a young father of three, Brandon, and how he was pressuring himself like a drill sergeant would, relentlessly and without patience, understanding or gentleness. His brain responded to this 'danger' with pain as a distraction. His antidote was to start treating himself with more compassion as a way to calm everything down.

 

i had a major insight from dr. schrubner's book, "unlearn your pain". i have been working on digestive and sinus issues and the more i "tried" to alleviate them, the more frustrated i became. my insight is that the frustration/resentment/anger i was building was directed at my body, at the pain and discomfort itself. i felt victimized by it and HATED IT! the chemicals that are created from anger type emotions are the very thing that perpetuate it. insights, as they come one after the other from books, this forum, a doc, where-ever, are providing the knowledge medicine we need to heal. it has only been a couple of days since i groked this, but i'm already seeing a positive difference.

 

I would love to stop it. But I don't know how.

 

thats exactly it. The harder I try. The more tense and frustrated I become I think. Because it doesn't work. I have that book. Been trying for 3 years. Keep having to stop because I recognise it's causing me more pain. But I don't know how to get around it. Can you advise please ? I mean. I agree. But how do you continue without it happening over. ?

 

there is something that happens when you finally "get it", meaning when the knowledge becomes understanding. i now "understand" fully that the emotions i express...regardless of the trigger...create certain stressful chemicals. as soon as a symptom shows itself, i can now immediately dismiss the previous automatic emotion (frustration/anger/powerlessness/victimization/self-pity), knowing that it's been there repeatedly and necessary for me to get to this very deep understanding. first i think, "it's ok, this is temporary and will pass", and i self soothe instead of berate and curse my body. it's one thing to recognize that some "exterior" stimulus/trigger can affect you, and a deeper and personally profound one to recognize your "internal" reaction to your own thought triggers. it's a very subtle shift from outside to inside, but most profound insights usually are subtle and simple i think....in hindsight. yours may not resolve in a single experience...it may take many, depending on the depth of your attachment to the outcome. recognize when you are "trying" to do something about the "problem" and change your perception of it, even if just momentarily, to one of gratitude for the lesson the "problem" is "trying" to teach you. exchange roles and allow the pain to be your teacher b/c your ego mind will tenaciously hold it's fearful position. hope this helps!