What can oversharing mean?

Oversharing is when you say more than is appropriate in a given situation or to a specific person. You can overshare in-person or via email, social media, or text message. Often, what you say becomes oversharing when you don't have a deep enough connection with someone.


What is oversharing a symptom of?

Oversharing can all too often be a smokescreen for a serious psychological issue, including things like anxiety disorder and borderline personality disorder. And the first hint can be whether you can control your blather or not.

What is oversharing a result of?

According to this article from the Huffington Post, "oversharing is fueled by our insecurities." We tend to care too much what others think and try to make up for what we think other people judge us for. This leads to some people sharing far too much info.


What does oversharing mean in psychology?

Oversharing is described as “revealing an inappropriate amount of detail about one's personal life” – and Dr Kirren Schnack, a clinical psychologist from Oxford, has taken to TikTok to address the potential causes behind it.

What are examples of oversharing?

Examples of Oversharing
  • Posting intimate details about your relationships, friendships, family matters, or personal drama.
  • Using social media as a soapbox or a way to vent your emotions.
  • Posting photos or videos of things meant to be private.
  • Posting embarrassing photos or videos of yourself or others.


Oversharing: Psychology Behind Revealing Personal Details



Why is oversharing a red flag?

Oversharing doesn't create intimacy. Oversharing is self-absorption masked as vulnerability. This may also signal emotional neediness and/or lack of boundaries.

Is oversharing a trauma response?

If you live with complex trauma or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), trauma dumping or oversharing could be a natural trauma response and coping mechanism.

Is oversharing manipulative?

Is oversharing a manipulation tactic? In the case of manipulation, oversharing may mean that you lack strong boundaries, which could put you in the way of manipulation (Lusinski 2020).


Is oversharing a symptom of BPD?

People with BPD often engage in self-sabotaging behavior. This can include: Oversharing. Misplaced anger.

Why do narcissists overshare?

If a person is a narcissist, or they feel inadequate, they often end up sharing everything that comes to mind to make sure they are heard. The insecurity of feeling ignored or too much self-validation overpowers their ability to decide what to share or not.

Is Overexplaining a trauma response?

Remember: Over-explaining is a trauma response designed to avoid conflict. “The logic behind fawning is that if a person does anything and everything they can to please the person who is trying to hurt them, that person might not follow through with the abusive behavior,” says Fenkel.


How do I fix oversharing?

How to stop oversharing
  1. Give yourself a time restriction. ...
  2. Reflect before writing or speaking. ...
  3. Make it right. ...
  4. Lighten the mood. ...
  5. Bridge the conversation or change the subject. ...
  6. Shift the conversation. ...
  7. Politely excuse yourself. ...
  8. Extend compassion to yourself and others.


Is oversharing vulnerable?

Vulnerability is a quality that brings people closer together and leaves them feeling more connected. Oversharing does the opposite. It's an uncomfortable and unsatisfying experience for both parties.

Is oversharing an ADHD trait?

It's common for people with ADHD to overshare information. People may be impulsive and not stop to think about what they're saying. Treating ADHD can help people improve self-control and think about consequences.


What mental illness makes you overshare?

Having social anxiety

Those who struggle with social anxiety are typically more prone to oversharing. When you feel anxious around other people, it can easily lead to rambling. You might also start oversharing because of low self-confidence or the need to please people.

What is hidden borderline personality?

Having quiet borderline personality disorder (BPD) — aka “high-functioning” BPD — means that you often direct thoughts and feelings inward rather than outward. As a result, you may experience the intense, turbulent thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that characterize BPD, but you try to hide them from others.

Why do I overshare trauma?

Sometimes oversharing is also the result of a misguided attempt to gain sympathy. If you share your mistakes to help others, you are being authentic; if you share too much to gain sympathy, then you are oversharing.


Why do I share too much information?

Some people may overshare due to narcissistic tendencies or because they feel inadequate and have something to prove. Many don't realise they are oversharing and struggle to read their audience. Often oversharers aren't aware they have revealed too much until after the act, or they might just not see it as a problem.

Is oversharing a lack of boundaries?

Oversharing is a common struggle among people who lack personal boundaries. It's not a conscious decision, but it often leaves us feeling icky and depleted. Oversharing usually comes from a desire to connect.

How do I stop oversharing and talking too much?

How to Stop Oversharing: 17 Actions You Can Take for Change
  1. Limit Talking Time. One of the ways to curb oversharing is to self-limit your talking time. ...
  2. Think Before Speaking. ...
  3. Respect Boundaries. ...
  4. Don't Brag. ...
  5. Learn to be Silent. ...
  6. Balance the Conversation. ...
  7. Be Articulate. ...
  8. Learn to Listen.


Why can't I stop oversharing?

Oversharing without any filter is often a sign of insecurity, a knee-jerk way of entertaining a crowd instead of respecting both your friends' secrets and your own well-being. You're a person who's trying to figure out how to sustain good friendships. You're struggling with boundaries — your own and other people's.

What are five of the common signs a person is reacting to trauma?

Initial reactions to trauma can include exhaustion, confusion, sadness, anxiety, agitation, numbness, dissociation, confusion, physical arousal, and blunted affect. Most responses are normal in that they affect most survivors and are socially acceptable, psychologically effective, and self-limited.

What are the 5 red flags in a relationship?

13 red flags in a relationship to look out for
  • Overly controlling behavior. Overly controlling behavior is a common red flag. ...
  • Lack of trust. ...
  • Feeling low self-esteem. ...
  • Physical, emotional, or mental abuse. ...
  • Substance abuse. ...
  • Narcissism. ...
  • Anger management issues. ...
  • Codependency.


What are the negatives relating to oversharing?

Over-sharers blurt out personal information in an attempt to gain a sense of intimacy, without building trust. Your story still owns you. When pain is raw, it can feel like the whole world sees there's something 'wrong' with you. For many people, that's anxiety provoking.

How can you tell if someone is emotionally traumatized?

Emotional trauma is recognizable by a persistent sense of unsafety and other challenging emotions such as fear and/or anxiety. It is often accompanied by other physical symptoms as well, such as chronic insomnia, nightmares, and other health issues.