The illusion of control

Overthinking feels like work. If you just think it through one more time, you'll find the answer. In reality, the same thoughts loop without a new conclusion, and you end up more anxious than when you started.

Thinking versus solving

Problem-solving ends with a next step. Overthinking ends with another question. A useful test: after ten minutes, do you know what to do next? If not, it's time to stop and switch activity.

Breaking the loop

Get the thought out of your head and onto paper, talk it through with someone, or set a time limit. If overthinking is taking over your evenings or your sleep, a therapist can help you understand what keeps it going.

Why the brain does this

Your brain is built to spot problems and solve them. When something feels uncertain, like a difficult conversation or a decision with no clear answer, it keeps returning to it, hoping to find certainty. The trouble is that some things can’t be made certain by thinking about them harder.

Overthinking also gives a feeling of being busy with the problem, which can feel safer than sitting with not knowing.

Try a worry window

Set aside fifteen minutes at the same time each day to think about whatever is on your mind. When a worry shows up outside that window, note it down and tell yourself you’ll come back to it later. Most people find that by the time the window comes, many of the worries have lost their grip.

It sounds simple, and it is. It also takes a couple of weeks to start working, so give it time.

Move from your head to your hands

Overthinking is hard to stop by thinking. It’s easier to interrupt with something physical: a walk, washing up, cooking, a few minutes of stretching. Doing something with your hands gives your mind something else to hold on to, even briefly.

Be kind to yourself

Overthinkers are often hard on themselves for overthinking, which just adds another loop. Try noticing the pattern without judging it: “I’m going over this again.” Naming it creates a little distance, and that distance is where change starts.