‘If you can overthink the worst, why can’t…’: Experts weigh in on Anupam Kher’s advice

“It is possible to ‘overthink the best,’ where a person repeatedly focuses on ideal or perfect outcomes,” explains Dr Sharadhi C, Consultant – Psychiatry, Aster CMI Hospital, Bangalore. But the catch is that this can still feel stressful.

“The problem is not whether thoughts are positive or negative but the constant mental loop,” she points out.

Anupam Kher recently posted this on his Instagram account (Image: Instagram/anupampkher)

So even if the thoughts are positive, the mind is still stuck in the same cycle—analysing, predicting, and trying to control what hasn’t happened yet. And when reality doesn’t match those imagined outcomes, frustration can creep in.

Why the mind leans towards worst-case thinking

If it feels like your brain automatically jumps to the worst possibilities, there’s a reason for it.

“We are more prone to overthinking negative outcomes because the brain is wired with a ‘negativity bias,’” explains Dr Sharadhi. It’s essentially a survival mechanism; your brain is trained to spot risks and prepare for them, not relax into best-case scenarios.

That’s why worries often replay in your head, while positive possibilities don’t feel as urgent. “This habit becomes stronger with stress, anxiety, or past negative experiences, making the mind repeat worst-case scenarios, ” says Dr Sharadi, while explaining that unless one “consciously train their thinking patterns,” the loop may carry on.

The way out isn’t to force yourself to “think positive” all the time. In fact, that can backfire. “Overthinking the best can turn into unrealistic or toxic positivity… when a person constantly forces themselves to focus only on positive outcomes while ignoring real problems,” the psychiatrist points out.

Instead, small shifts in awareness can help break the cycle. “Stopping worst-case overthinking… involves noticing when the mind starts imagining negative outcomes” and asking simple questions like “is this fact or fear,” while bringing your focus back to the present.

“Setting small time limits for worrying instead of letting it run all day, practicing relaxation methods like slow breathing or mindfulness, and building balanced thinking by also considering realistic or positive possibilities,” also help.

The idea isn’t to eliminate overthinking overnight, but to slowly stop getting pulled into it, whether the thoughts are good or bad.

DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.