How to deal with Anxiety Driven Overthinking
Anxiety and overthinking often go hand in hand. If you’ve ever found yourself stuck in a mental loop of “what ifs,” second guessing your decisions, or imagining worst case scenarios, you’re not alone. Overthinking is a common symptom and reaction to anxiety, and while it can feel overwhelming, there are effective ways to manage it.
We’ll explore the root of overthinking, what strategies you can adopt to help calm your mind, and how you can begin to ease the cycle of endless ruminating to regain control.
The Connection between Overthinking and Anxiety
Overthinking is the repetitive thought process where we dwell on situations, ideas, or concerns, often times without reaching a solution. It can feel like your brain is spinning in circles, trapping you in an endless loop of rumination. And rather than gaining clarity, you may end up feeling more confused or stressed. Anxiety often fuels this cycle, as the uncertainty and fear related to anxiety lead us to mentally replay situations in hopes of resolving our worries.
The connection between anxiety and overthinking lies in the brain's response to fear. When we feel anxious, our minds go into overdrive, trying to predict outcomes or solve problems before they happen. This process is a survival mechanism, rooted in the brain’s desire to protect us from perceived threats. While this is helpful when there is an actual threat, when this survival mechanism kicks in with anxiety, it can cause even more stress.
Signs of Overthinking
So what does overthinking actually look like? Some common signs include:
Inability to focus: Constantly replaying scenarios or conversations in your mind, making it hard to concentrate on tasks.
Difficulty making decisions: Often called “analysis paralysis” or “decision paralysis”, this is when you are overanalyzing and overthinking every option, so much so that it leads you to indecision or avoidance of the decision altogether.
Rumination on past events: Dwelling on things you can’t change, like past mistakes, keeping you stuck in a negative thought cycle.
Fear of the future: Worrying excessively about what could go wrong in the future.
Physical symptoms: Our bodies and our minds are connected, and overthinking can manifest physically, as headaches, muscle tension, or fatigue.
What To Do When You’re Overthinking
1. Practice Mindfulness to Ground Yourself
Mindfulness is one of the most effective tools for breaking the overthinking anxiety cycle. By focusing on the present moment, you can interrupt the constant mental chatter and bring yourself back to your body. Instead of allowing your all your attention to be wrapped up in the tornado of thoughts in your brain, mindfulness can bring your attention to your body and somatic experiences instead, breaking the hold that Overthinking has on your thoughts.
How to incorporate mindfulness:
Body scan meditation: Lie down or sit comfortably and mentally scan your body from head to toe, noticing any areas of tension or physical experiences. Are your toes cold? Are your shoulders tense? Just be curious about what your body is physically experiencing in this moment.
Deep breathing exercises: When you catch yourself overthinking, pause and take a few slow, deep breaths. Inhale for four counts, hold for four counts, and exhale for four counts. This can help you regain control of your thoughts and soothe your anxiety.
2. Challenge Negative Thought Patterns
Anxiety often causes distorted thinking, where you assume the worst, magnify problems, or focus on negative outcomes. While these negative thoughts may feel like the absolute truth, pause and challenge some of the assumptions of these thoughts. Are they actually true? Or are they your fears?
How to challenge overthinking:
Write it down: When you catch yourself overthinking, write down the thoughts that are troubling you. This can help you gain perspective and see your concerns more objectively.
Examine evidence: Look at your worries critically. Ask yourself if there is real evidence to support your anxious thoughts. Are they based on facts, or are they assumptions?
Reframe your thoughts: Once you've identified irrational thinking, try to reframe it in a more balanced way. For example, if you’re worried about a meeting going poorly, instead of thinking, “I’m going to mess this up,” try reframing it as, “I’ve prepared for this meeting, and I will do my best.”
3. Limit Information Overload
In today’s world, constant access to information can fuel overthinking, especially when it comes to anxiety inducing topics like world events, health, or politics. While staying informed is important, excessive exposure to negative or anxiety provoking content can escalate overthinking.
How to reduce information overload:
Set boundaries for media consumption: Decide how much news or social media you’ll engage with daily, and stick to those limits.
Choose your sources wisely: Rely on reputable sources for your information and avoid sensationalized or fear driven content.
Take digital breaks: Unplug from your devices periodically to give your mind a chance to rest from the constant influx of information.
By limiting exposure to overwhelming content, you can help prevent the onset of overthinking.
4. Develop Problem-Solving Skills
Anxiety driven overthinking often comes from the desire to solve problems that feel uncertain or unresolved. While some problems can’t be solved immediately, focusing on problem solving rather than rumination can help ease your anxious mind.
Steps for problem-solving:
Identify the problem: Be specific about what is causing your anxiety. Is it something within your control, or is it a hypothetical scenario?
Generate solutions: Write down potential solutions, no matter how small. Breaking big problems into smaller, manageable steps can make them feel less overwhelming.
Take action: Once you’ve identified a practical step, take action. Even a small step forward can reduce anxiety and overthinking.
5. Practice Self-Compassion
Finally, it’s important to be kind to yourself. Anxiety and overthinking can lead to self criticism, which only intensifies stress. Instead of beating yourself up for overthinking, practice self compassion. Understand that everyone struggles with anxious thoughts from time to time, and it’s okay to not have all the answers right away.
Ways to practice self-compassion:
Acknowledge your feelings: Allow yourself to feel anxious without judgment. Remind yourself that anxiety is a normal human emotion.
Treat yourself as a friend: When you notice negative self talk, ask yourself, “Would I say this to a friend?” If not, replace the critical thought with something kind and supportive.
Take breaks: Overthinking can be mentally exhausting. Give yourself permission to rest and engage in activities that bring you joy and relaxation.
At the End of the Day
Overthinking and anxiety can feel like an unbreakable cycle. It can wrap us up in its powerful thoughts and not let us go. But it is possible to break the hold that Anxious Overthinking has on your brain and experience. As you work to manage your thoughts, remember that it’s okay to seek support when needed. If overthinking becomes too difficult to handle on your own, you can schedule a therapy consultation here.