How do I keep myself from overreacting?

Analyze the situation you are in and try to think clearly if what's happening is worth making that much of a fuss over (nothing ever is, really).

Relax. Take a breath. And think twice before speaking. Think about your feelings and what you want the other person to know about it.

You may not be overreacting in all cases. It's a good idea to first validate yourself and make a list (written is best!) of why your feelings make sense in the situation. You may not be able to control how you feel about something, but you can control your actions. What has really helped me is letting some time pass before I give a response to something that has upset me. Time can play a big role in allowing your emotions to cool enough to where you can give a measured response that won't escalate the situation any further. And keep in mind that giving this type of response where you are calmer tends to breed calm from others involved, too.

Stop and think. Assess the situation, check what you know for sure, what is hear say and get the facts. Don't read between the lines, ask questions of anything you are unsure of directly to the one involved.

When I feel myself beginning to get too emotional, I do one of two things. I imagine my emotions as if they were a black aura trying to escape, next I imagine wrapping it up. Over and over until it's in a tight ball. Other than that, I try my hardest to focus only on breathing. Counting every inhale and exhale until I'm calm.

Sometimes you can't and that's okay, overreacting just makes you think extra on things. There's nothing wrong looking over things a little bit more than most people. If you really want to stop yourself or limit yourself when it comes to overthinking, just stick to the situation and how it'll turn out and go with that. When things turn different, you assess the situation differently from there.

Overreaction is usually behavior exhibited immediately or very soon after something we see or hear that 'triggers' a heavy emotional response. I've found that by removing myself from the situation and going somewhere quiet to think about all angles of a triggering situation, I often see that my initial feelings were too strong. Try giving yourself space to think and you might find a better way to deal with the situation.

I found the 7 cups article/ exercise about the automatic thoughts very helpful. I still overreact when I talk to someone. So I still need more practice to control myself when I dont read something and so I dont have the chance to prosess it on a piece of paper. BUt the more I practice the better I can control myself :) Thank you 7 cups!!

The trick will be to pause the reaction. Notice how your body is feeling, understand that this is just a natural reaction, but it does not have to be your final one. Let some time pass and then, with a calmed mind react. Consider what you really want to say or express.

I tend to overreact a lot. It might be because I make things too personal. This is something I have been working on. I have realized that I cannot do everything alone, and that everything is not on me. I am not the only one responsible for the success or failure of my relationships. The best way to keep yourself from overreacting to gain a new perspective, or to distract yourself with something you enjoy. I choose to distract myself with music, I have a playlist of songs that I know will put me in a better mood and make me feel better. Try to find something that can do that for you, whatever it may be. Hope this helps!