“A book that started as an independent publication and captivated hundreds of thousands of readers through word of mouth alone!”
* Amazon long-term bestseller, copyright exported to 36 countries *
* 400,000 copies sold worldwide, 9,800 cumulative Amazon reviews *
* YouTube [Brain Rich People] Strongly recommended by Dr. Heo Gyu-hyung, a psychiatrist *
* Self-development YouTube channel [Moving Water] Strongly recommended by Lee Dong-soo *

“Why do I become more unhappy the more I think about it?”
I have too many regrets and worries
23 Strategies to Save the Lives of Thought Addicts

The globally popular novel 『Thought Addiction』, which was first published as an independent publication and rose to the top of Amazon's comprehensive bestseller list through word of mouth and explosive support from readers, has finally been published in Korea after being exported to 36 countries.
The author defines "overthinking" as a problematic epidemic in modern society that slowly destroys our lives without us even realizing it, and urges us to recognize its severity and break free from its toxicity by immediately changing our thinking patterns.


People who reminisce about the past and have endless regrets, people who worry about even the smallest things, people who are overwhelmed by the amount of work they have to do and end up procrastinating, people who are afraid that their every word will harm a relationship…
They are all people trapped in a 'prison of thoughts'.
People trapped here suffer from anxiety, develop negative thought patterns that lead them to misperceive reality, and ultimately lead to extreme self-denial.
You can't even get out when you want.
Why on earth would I walk into a maze like this?

The answer is simple.
This is because we have not been able to properly manage stress, which is the default in modern society.
Drawing on numerous academic papers and scientific evidence, "Thought Addiction" reveals why modern people so easily fall into the prison of their thoughts. It also introduces various ways to break this cycle of overthinking, using psychological tools discovered in the latest research.
The specific examples presented in this book help us understand how certain thoughts gradually increase our anxiety.
Above all, this book will help us regain our lost focus on life by changing our 'thoughts about thoughts.'

We live in a world overloaded with stimulation, with extreme tension and over-thinking.
Thinking too much overloads our natural thought processes, and when we think too much, our thought processes become out of our control.
The result is suffering.
The endless contemplation of life and self torments us.
Once you start, it's hard to stop and can lead to self-destructive results.
Our brains are designed to help us solve problems and understand situations more clearly, but when we overthink, they do the opposite.
Worry, anxiety, stress, rumination, obsession… whatever you call it, thinking too much is not only unpleasant, it’s unhelpful in every way.
--- p.21

Besides genes, there are other factors that trigger anxiety in us.
Most of us fall into the trap of thinking that we have solved a problem by overthinking it.
Just as James, concerned about his health, deluded himself into thinking he was getting to the root of the problem by constantly digging into various causes and solutions.
But in reality, overthinking often leads to no conclusion.
People who think too much only get stuck in a framework of analyzing and reconsidering various possibilities.
No matter how much you scratch an itchy spot, it only feels refreshing for a moment and the itch never goes away.
--- p.31

Even in the same situation, people's evaluations are very different, and experiences depend on the evaluation, not the situation.
Depending on how you evaluate yourself in life, your stress may end up getting worse.
For example, if you are someone who feels that control is external to you—that is, if you don't feel in control of your life but rather that it is influenced by luck, chance, and other people—you will likely experience new situations as threats rather than exciting challenges.
Once they perceive a threat, they become anxious and act as if they were actually threatened.
--- p.38

The best skill a person who thinks too much can have is to distinguish between awareness and anxiety.
Awareness is neutral, comfortable and calm.
Anxiety, on the other hand, involves emotions and we often get caught up in those emotions.
People who think too much often become anxious even in situations that simply require awareness.
--- p.54

Stress avoidance cannot be said to be running away from obligations or denying the real problem.
It's simply a process of learning to say "no" to unnecessary and harmful stress.
We can always reject situations and people that place too much demand on ourselves and our resources.
If something in your life is taking up all your time, you have the right to refuse it.
--- p.58

If you think about it, it's surprising how many people prioritize stress in their lives.
We often spend time on things that make us feel bad, anxious, or depressed, while recovery and reflection are often relegated to the bottom of our to-do list or not even considered.
Do you remember when you last intentionally prioritized rest and relaxation? Like most people, you probably always prioritize hard work, then spend whatever scraps of time and energy you have left over on the rest.
This is no different from Suzy's situation, where she is struggling to fit meditation into her schedule for the sake of her mental health and then finds it overwhelming.
--- p.91

Having a clear and concise list of tasks to be completed can actually help you focus your attention, which in turn can help you feel calmer and more in control.
This isn't just a feeling, it's a reality! With less to think about, you'll be less likely to overthink, and overall, you'll feel less stressed and confused.

To achieve this, you must execute consistently.
You need to understand your workflow and make sure that work doesn't pile up.
When a new issue arises that requires attention, you must jump in immediately and decide how to respond as quickly as possible.
Is following a link sent by a friend a priority right now? Is that email from your bank important? I just found out I'm out of milk. What's the quickest way to deal with it?
--- p.104

Allocating time allows you to quickly switch between tasks and avoid multitasking.
Schedule yourself to do only one task at a time and focus on that task.
By planning ahead, you can always prioritize your tasks without wasting time and energy deciding what to do.
We want to do 'deep work' by fully immersing ourselves in what we are doing rather than paying shallow attention to many things at once.
This deep immersion in your work not only makes you more efficient (getting more done in the same amount of time), but it also makes you much less stressed.
Therefore, you can achieve more satisfying work performance with less mental and emotional effort.
--- p.123

Our brains work at an incredibly fast pace, imagining scenes that have nothing to do with reality and causing anxiety.
No matter how much we try to induce visual sensations, the body is bound to be slower than the brain.
However, if you train your senses to be sensitive in these situations, you can accurately perceive the current environment through your physical senses, rather than the anxiety in your head.
Visualization shifts the gears of your brain, slowing it down and helping you better control your runaway brain.
--- p.140

People often and easily assume that their ideas are completely correct.
Isn't it funny? We usually don't question the thoughts that cross our minds.
But if we look closely at our thoughts, it's easy to see the distortions, inaccuracies, and false narratives that keep us trapped in patterns of overthinking and stress.
Whether it's through old habits and customs, trauma, or beliefs taught to us, various narratives become deeply ingrained in our minds, convincing us that our thoughts are not interpretations of reality, but reality itself.
--- p.183

Focusing on what I can't do is like pushing a rock that can't be moved.
No matter how much you push, the stone won't budge.
Only you will lose energy.
A stone that doesn't move can't be pushed.
That's true! But why waste energy focusing on things you can't change? If you could focus your efforts elsewhere, you could achieve real change. Why waste your efforts?
--- p.207

Focusing on what you have allows you to view every situation positively and healthily.
What resources do I have? What's going well? What do I have to be grateful for? With this mindset, you can find solutions and new opportunities.
Conversely, if you focus on what you have lost, what you lack, or what is wrong, you will only see that.
If we focus only on these things, we will completely miss the solution that will free us from our unhappiness.
--- p.212

We feel compassion for the emotion of fear, and we know that it is real and painful, even if we don't fall into it deeply.
But again, while it's perfectly acceptable to get in the car with fear or anxiety, you shouldn't let those emotions take the wheel and dictate the direction of your life!
--- p.223

Let's channel that anxious energy into something that will help us improve the situation, or at least accept it.
Then you can reconnect with the world and escape the endless hurricane that blows through your head and keeps you spinning in place.
We've already talked about the ability to tolerate pain, but simply learning to shift your attention at the right moment can go a long way toward building mental resilience.

--- p.231