For as long as I can remember, I’ve been an overthinker. Overthinkers (I know there are many of you out there!) are generally people higher in anxiety, who ruminate over situations and get caught in thinking loops. While overthinking has its benefits (processing information deeply, self-reflecting on your behaviour) generally it’s quite a stressful thing to do. Many of my therapy clients say to me; “I wish that I could stop the thoughts!” That’s because overthinking is paralysing them from action, interfering with their sleep at night, leading them to judge themselves or others and overwhelming them with negative thoughts. So here are some strategies for how to stop overthinking and negative thoughts, which have helped me, and hopefully can help you too!
1. Catch Yourself Overthinking
The first step for how to stop overthinking is to catch yourself early. The deeper you get into a thinking loop, the harder it is to stop, so like every bad habit, early intervention is best. Start by noticing the signs that you are overthinking – maybe it’s biting your nails, mindlessly cleaning, zoning out or ruminating over something that’s happened. When you catch yourself doing so, then say the word “overthinking” out loud. By labelling what is going on, you have stepped out of the thinking loop, and are no longer caught-up in your negative thoughts. You can then decide what to do next.
2. Get Out of Your Head
After you’ve caught yourself overthinking and labelled what is going on, you can easily slip back into the thought loop. But what might be more helpful is to get out of your head, by focusing on your body instead. A few deep breaths, stretching, physical activity, taking a shower or giving yourself or someone else a hug are all great ways you focus on physical sensations, and stop overthinking. These activities also trigger the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps our bodies to calm down, and in turn our minds to calm down (watch here).
3. Detach From Negative Thoughts
Social events are a big trigger for my overthinking, which unfortunately relates to my ongoing struggle with social anxiety. Lately, I’ve been trying to detach from these negative and self-critical thoughts, evaluating that they probably aren’t helpful or meaningful. I try to offer myself a bit of self-compassion around the fears that are driving these thoughts, and sometimes I challenge the thoughts too, reminding myself why they aren’t true. Negative thoughts can be quite powerful and overwhelming, which makes it hard to detach from them. But we do have the ability to step back from them, evaluate if they are helpful or meaningful, and choose to direct our attention elsewhere.
I hope these tips help you learn how to stop overthinking, leading you away from negative thought loops, and towards more freedom in your life!
