How to stop overthinking
Overthinking Is an Addiction to Certainty
People think overthinking is annoying.
Something to manage. A quirk. A side effect of stress.
They’re wrong.
Overthinking is an attempt to control the uncontrollable—and it’s addictive.
Why?
Because the moment you think you’ve found “the answer,” you get a tiny hit of relief.
A flicker of calm.
“That’s it. That’s what I’ll say. That’s how I’ll fix it.”
But it doesn’t last.
So your brain goes again. Another scenario. Another explanation. Another loop.
Because it’s not certainty you’re after—it’s relief.
A cognitive illusion: control
Here’s the uncomfortable truth:
Overthinking creates the illusion of safety.
Your logical brain becomes the theatre where your anxious system stages dress rehearsals.
But no matter how many run-throughs you do, life still throws in ad-libs.
You’re chasing a finish line that keeps moving.
And that’s the trap.
The more you think, the more you believe thinking will save you.
And the more it fails, the more you think.
That’s the addiction.
You’re not anxious—you’re gambling for control
The slot machine of overthinking gives you unpredictable hits of relief.
Like all addictive systems, it’s inconsistent reinforcement that keeps you hooked.
Once in a while, it does help. You remember something useful. You avoid a mistake. You feel “clever.”
So your brain starts to believe: If I just think long enough, I can prevent pain.
And that would be fine—if the world were predictable. But it isn’t.
So you spin again.
How to break the loop (and it won’t be with breathing)
Want to interrupt overthinking?
You don’t need mindfulness.
You need to interfere with the illusion.
Try this:
1. Interrupt the pattern physically.
Get up. Say the alphabet backwards. Touch five cold things.
You’re not calming yourself—you’re short-circuiting the loop.
2. Say this out loud:
“My brain is trying to protect me from uncertainty.
But no amount of thinking will make the future certain.”
It sounds simple. It’s not. You’re breaking a contract with control.
3. Get bored of your thoughts.
Don’t argue with them. Don’t fix them.
Imagine them as bad TV you’ve already seen ten times.
Stop feeding them oxygen. Let them rerun without your input.
If you want to help others break the loop
This isn’t just useful if you overthink.
It’s essential if you support people who do—clients, students, children, or even yourself.
Because most “calming tools” treat the anxiety, but leave the illusion untouched.
In our STILL Method coach training, we go deeper:
We teach you how to recognise these loops as control strategies, and how to disrupt them without causing shame or collapse.
Not with affirmations.
But with insight.
Or if you live inside the loop
You don’t need a strategy.
You need someone who understands what your brain’s trying to do—and how to help your body stop doing it.
That’s the work I do one-to-one.
If you’re ready to get under the noise, you can learn more here:
👉 1:1 therapy with me
