If you’ve ever been told to “just stop overthinking,” you know it’s not that simple. Overthinking can feel like a nonstop mental loop — replaying the past, predicting the future, and imagining every possible outcome. Even small decisions can feel overwhelming, leaving you mentally drained.
At Trueself Counselling, many clients describe overthinking as feeling “mentally tired but unable to switch off.” Thoughts keep spinning, even when you want to rest. The good news? Overthinking can be changed — with awareness, practice, and compassion. Counselling, especially using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), offers practical tools to calm your mind and regain control.
💭 What Overthinking Really Feels Like
Overthinking can show up in many ways. Common symptoms include:
- Replaying conversations or decisions constantly
- Racing thoughts that interrupt sleep
- Tight chest, tense muscles, or stomach discomfort
- Feeling mentally foggy or emotionally drained
- Difficulty making decisions — big or small
- Worrying what others think or reading into every detail
“Overthinking can feel like trying to solve a problem that doesn’t have an answer.”
If you notice these signs, your mind may be caught in a cycle of overthinking and anxiety, which can be eased with awareness, grounding, and CBT techniques.
🌙 Why We Overthink
Overthinking is often your brain’s way of trying to stay safe. It’s a form of mental control — scanning for danger, predicting outcomes, or preparing for criticism. Instead of reducing stress, overthinking usually increases it.
Common causes include:
- Anxiety and chronic stress — mind stays “on alert”
- Perfectionism — pressure to get everything right
- Past criticism or trauma — a learned habit of self-doubt
- High responsibility — feeling like one mistake could have big consequences
When your nervous system stays activated, your brain struggles to let go — even when there’s nothing left to solve. Over time, this pattern reinforces anxiety and mental fatigue.
🌿 How to Stop Overthinking (and Calm Your Mind)
You don’t need to silence your thoughts completely — just learn to notice them without letting them take over.
Here are counselling-informed strategies you can start today:
1. Notice the Thought Loop
Instead of trying to stop thinking, observe:
“I’m noticing I’m overthinking right now.”
This moves you from being in your thoughts to being aware of them. CBT uses this “thought monitoring” technique to identify unhelpful patterns before they escalate.
2. Ground Yourself in the Present
Overthinking lives in the past or future. Bring yourself back to the present:
- Take three slow, mindful breaths
- Feel your feet on the floor or your back against a chair
- Name five things you can see, three things you can touch, two things you can hear
Grounding exercises help calm your nervous system and reduce racing thoughts.
3. Challenge the Spiral
CBT teaches you to identify cognitive distortions, like “catastrophizing” or “all-or-nothing thinking.”
Ask yourself:
- Is this thought helpful, or just familiar?
- Do I have enough information to act right now?
- Would I speak to a friend this way?
This reframes anxious thoughts into realistic, actionable perspectives.
4. Create Thinking Boundaries
Set a “worry window” — 10–20 minutes in the evening for reflection or journaling.
“I’ll come back to this during my worry time.”
CBT encourages structured reflection so worries don’t take over your whole day.
5. Talk It Out
Sharing your thoughts with someone you trust — or in counselling for overthinking — helps separate realistic concerns from fear-based thinking. CBT guides you to reframe unhelpful patterns and reduce mental tension over time.
🌼 CBT Exercises You Can Try Today
Here are simple, actionable exercises you can use immediately:
1. Thought Record Sheet
Write down your thoughts, emotions, and rate their intensity. Challenge unhelpful thoughts and replace them with balanced perspectives.
2. “What If?” Challenge
Test worst-case scenario thoughts by asking how likely they are and if you could manage them. Replace with a realistic perspective.
3. Scheduled Worry Time
Contain anxious thoughts to a specific period each day. Outside this window, remind yourself: “I’ll think about this later.”
4. Mindful Grounding
Notice your senses: five things you see, four you touch, three you hear, two you smell, one you taste. Reconnect with the present.
5. Behavioral Experiment
Test anxious assumptions in real life. Observe what happens, then adjust your thinking based on evidence rather than fear.
“Even practicing 5–10 minutes a day can help reduce overthinking, calm anxiety, and restore control.”
🌱 Finding Peace Beyond Overthinking
Overthinking often stems from self-doubt, fear, or emotional overload. Counselling can help you:
- Identify triggers that spark overthinking
- Build confidence in decision-making
- Calm your nervous system and reduce anxiety
- Reconnect with a sense of ease and clarity
You don’t have to silence your thoughts — just stop letting them run the show.
At Trueself Counselling, I help clients break free from overthinking, learn CBT-based strategies, and regain mental calm and confidence.
🌿 Book a free consultation today https://trueself-counselling.janeapp.com/#staff_member/1 to start creating mental space, reduce stress, and find clarity — one thought at a time.
