Stuck in a Loop? Why Too Many Choices Make Us Anxious

    Ever spent 30 minutes scrolling through Netflix, only to give up and rewatch an old favorite? Or stood in a coffee shop, staring at the menu like it’s a life-or-death decision? Yeah, that’s choice anxiety messing with you.

What’s Choice Anxiety?

It’s that overwhelming feeling of stress when you have too many options. Sure, having choices is great, but when there are too many, your brain freaks out. You start overanalyzing, second-guessing, and before you know it, you’re exhausted just from deciding which ice cream flavor to get.

Why Do We Get Stuck? The Psychology Behind It

1. The Paradox of Choice (Barry Schwartz, 2004)
   More choices should make us happier, right? Wrong. Too many options make us overthink, leading to stress and regret. Instead of enjoying our decision, we keep wondering: Did I pick the wrong one?

2. Decision Fatigue (Roy Baumeister, 1998)
   Ever notice how you make worse choices by the end of the day? That’s because your brain gets tired of making decisions. That’s why you might start your morning with a healthy smoothie but end up ordering greasy takeout at night.

3. Loss Aversion (Daniel Kahneman & Amos Tversky, 1979)
   Our brains hate losing more than they love winning. So when faced with multiple options, we fixate on what we didn’t choose instead of appreciating what we did. Cue regret and anxiety.

Where We See Choice Anxiety IRL

• Netflix & Chill (or Not): Spending an hour browsing movies, only to watch Friends for the 100th time? Classic case of decision paralysis.

• Career Overload: "Should I be a doctor? A writer? Maybe start a bakery?" Having endless career paths can make us feel stuck instead of excited.

• Dating App Madness: Ever feel like there’s always someone better just one swipe away? That’s choice anxiety making you doubt your decisions.

How to Beat Choice Anxiety

1. Limit Your Options: Instead of browsing endlessly, set boundaries. Want to watch a movie? Pick a genre first and stick to it.

2. Go with Good Enough: Stop chasing the "perfect" choice. If it’s mostly right, go for it. Perfection is a myth.

3. Set a Timer: Give yourself a time limit for decisions. No more overthinking.

4. Own Your Choice: Instead of regretting what you didn’t choose, focus on why your decision was awesome.

Final Thoughts

Too many choices can make us miserable, but we don’t have to fall into the trap. Simplify, trust your gut, and move on. And the next time you’re staring at a menu for ages? Just pick something and enjoy it!