Decision Paralysis in Psychology.

Have you ever stared at a list of options careers, relationships, cities to move to, or even simple everyday decisions and felt your mind freeze?

Not because you do not care, but because you care too much.

That’s decision paralysis.

When the pressure to make the perfect choice becomes overwhelming, doing nothing suddenly feels safer. We put off decisions hoping clarity will magically appear, or we keep waiting for a sign that guarantees we won’t regret our choice. But the truth is, there is rarely a single right path. Life is not about discovering one flawless door, it is about choosing a door and learning how to make it right for you.

Often, we expect ourselves to see the full road ahead before we take even one step. But you don’t need to have the entire staircase mapped out. You just need to see the next small step and take it. Progress rarely comes from certainty; it comes from movement.

And yes, the pressure to “have it all figured out” can make any decision feel impossible. The what-if loop can be exhausting:

What if I choose wrong?

What if I disappoint someone?

What if I regret it later?

If you have been there stuck not because of a lack of options, but because of too many then you’re not alone.

According to Dr. Vishwa Dave, many people don’t struggle with decision-making because they’re careless, but because they’re deeply thoughtful and afraid of choosing a path that doesn’t honor their values, identity, or future goals. That emotional weight can freeze even the most capable individuals.

This is where therapy can be transformative. It’s not about telling you what to do. It’s about helping you understand:

• why certain decisions feel so heavy,
• what fears are driving the paralysis,
• and how to build the internal flexibility and confidence needed to move forward.

Through gentle guidance and practical tools, therapy helps you navigate life’s big moments with more clarity and a little less fear. It supports you in making decisions that align with who you are, not who you’re trying to impress or who you’re afraid to disappoint.

At the end of the day, the goal isn’t to never feel uncertain.

The goal is to feel uncertain and still move.

Because life unfolds not when we find the perfect choice, but when we allow ourselves to choose.

Dr. Vishwa Dave

Psychotherapist, VHC