It's good to think - but not too much, scientists say

People who think more about whether they are right have more cells in an area of the brain known as the frontal lobes.

UK scientists, writing in Science, looked at how brain size varied depending on how much people thought about decisions.

But a nationwide survey recently found that some people think too much about life. These people have poorer memories, and they may also be depressed.

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BBC News


don't think too much and avoid Alzheimer and depression....c'mon!

reply to post by metalpr

Hi, metalpr.

As some say: "Follow the money" !
It would be interesting to know WHO paid those scentists ?? B-)

NOT to think too much ?? ! !
Guess **who** would want that from us ?? B-)

Blue skies.

I think a lot and I think my memory is not getting better ... some things I really just ignore and dont remember > most things are not important anyway

but I am not depressed

and really, if we analyze this, its kind of another conspiracy, because, to say you SHOULDNT use your brain, you shouldnt investigate if what you are being told is true is simply a crime and, these people should be "arrested"

reply to post by metalpr


That's my problem, I think way too much about life and death and I spend way too much of my time researching new points of view and brushing up on subjects.

It all makes sense now, no wonder I'm miserable all the time

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/67cd9e14d04f.jpg[/atsimg]

Brain the size of a planet...

reply to post by metalpr


I don't think it's really saying don't think too much, but instead is saying don't ruminate. We already know that if you spend a lot of time ruminating it can lead to depression. We also know that people suffering from depression have worse memories. Therefore, it would make sense that if you spend all your time worrying then your memory will be worse. This is in no way going against previous research that shows the best way to prevent things like Alzheimer's is to stay mentally stimulated throughout your life. Too many people just kind of stop once they retire, but even doing simple things like reading or doing the New York Times crossword every day can have a dramatic impact.

The study is correct, of course couple of thousand years behind common sense suggesting the same but right nevertheless. If you think its BS then you obviously don't think too much .

Jokes aside, I am serious about this being correct as the study doesn't refer to thinking about petty things or just random thoughts (like most of you do ). It refers to thinking about decisions. Would you agree that it is healthy if you think for 2 hours about whether or not you will go to tonights party? Some people do. And when it comes to actual reasonable stuff to think about, they simply don't stop thinking about it and results are extremely hazardous. Believe it or not some people spend hours thinking about most ridiculous decisions such as what to wear, makeup, what to eat etc. which always leads them to even more ridiculous subjects to think about. Not many people are like that but more and more are starting to suffer from this "overthinking". People who constantly worry about things they cannot change also fall into this category. And yes, if you spend 6 hours a day reading ATS then you're definitely overthinking and it will have negative consequences... which we can actually witness in various threads .

Basically, take everything in moderation - especially thinking about stuff. Surely you must have at least once felt tired and obnoxious after thinking about some decision too much - well imagine having that feeling 24/7.

Also, too many thoughts can seriously interfere with your sleep, thus affecting your health to an extent, and of course, stress.

reply to post by metalpr


LOL dont think to much you are effecting the matrix of things. But I like thinking of stars being alive humans possessing eternal souls and that the SON OF GOD IS COMMING. UM JUST SAYEN

how technology would be if scientist don't think too much?
how humanity would survive the changes of times if we'd decide not to think too much about life and how to live better?

can anyone actually believe that TPTB doesn't think to much?

think again...but not too much

thinking too much could be harmful for your health.

...some people think too much about life

...they may also be depressed

...how much they think about their own decisions

...thinking a lot about your own thoughts may not be all good

...were more likely to mull over things and brood too much

If I didn't know better I would have said that I was involved in this study as it seems to describe me rather well. As the idiom goes, I'd be pretty wealthy if I had a nickel for every time someone told me that I think too much, which is never followed by but often implied that I also act too little. Years ago I started saying that thinking is evil and I guess this is what I meant by it.

Interesting article.












It'll give me something to think about.

My bet is that this study will lead to a slew of new diagnostic criteria for psychologists and psychiatrists (racing thoughts - which is close to this concept - is already a diagnostic criteria for several psychosis).

Then those labeled with these new and improved diagnosis will be tossed into the march of the Prozac nation. A world filled with grinning, laid back, suggestible people, all intellectually marginalized by the stigma of a psychiatric diagnosis.

Better governance through sedation, I think, is the ultimate end.

Haha this is awesome. Life is becoming a parody of Idiocracy (If you haven't seen the movie, I recommend it).

Yea, let's not think too much. Our brain: it was meant to be programmed, not used productively. The next study will tell us not to breathe too much...y'know, with all the demons floating around in the air.

As long as you're thinking positive thoughts, you should be fine. Don't let science scare you. Also, avoid the pills if you can.

Originally posted by Hefficide

My bet is that this study will lead to a slew of new diagnostic criteria for psychologists and psychiatrists (racing thoughts - which is close to this concept - is already a diagnostic criteria for several psychosis).

Then those labeled with these new and improved diagnosis will be tossed into the march of the Prozac nation. A world filled with grinning, laid back, suggestible people, all intellectually marginalized by the stigma of a psychiatric diagnosis.

Better governance through sedation, I think, is the ultimate end.

TELL HIM WHAT HE'S WON JOHNNY!! You sir hit the Nail on Head with a Vengeance.......There are no words to more succintly sum up what this will gradually lead to. Thanks for using you noggin'!

true, its not good to think, the most advance of thinking is not to think at all

reply to post by metalpr


lol i love it, think enough to function but not enough to work things out, its bad for you.

unbelievable.

When I first saw the title of this thread: "It's good to think - but not too much..." the first thing I thought is that this MUST be some Religious authority for sure to say something like THAT!!

BUT if this did originate from the Religious cult, it would have been titled: " It's good to think NOT at ALL or EVER, or you will go to HELL forever and ever..."

So therefore I was mistaken. Dang.

reply to post by metalpr


Wait......what??? Scientist are telling us that it's good to think less......now, if I follow that to its logical conclusion, I can infer that scientists themselves don't think too much, right? So, we can then discount what they say, including about thinking.....

Ok, another "scientists say" topic.

I have become very disillusioned about "scientists say" topics. It reminds me of that stupid game "Simon says".

Who are these scientists? Come on, scientists think all the time - or if they don't they should not be called scientists, since that means "thinkers".

Go figure.

Let me repeat what I said before. This study is not talking about thinking in general, it is talking about rumination. This is where you pretty much obsess about things you have done or failed to do in the past. Rumination has been linked with depression, and since negative affect has been linked with slower cognitive processing, one can come to the conclusion that ruminating too much could lead to slower cognitive processing.