Overthinking Everything? Here’s How to Stop Spinning Out

You know that moment when you replay a conversation for the 87th time, analyzing every word like you’re trying to crack a secret code? Or when you’re lying in bed, suddenly consumed by a random embarrassing memory from 2014? Yeah. Same.

Overthinking is exhausting. It’s like when Lizzie McGuire replays that one embarrassing moment over and over in her head, complete with dramatic inner monologue and animated alter ego reactions. It’s like your brain decides to open 47 tabs at once, and now you’re just staring at the mental equivalent of a buffering wheel. If you’re stuck in the spiral, here’s what might be happening and what you can actually do about it.

Why We Overthink (And Why It Feels Impossible to Stop)

Overthinking isn’t just thinking a lot. It’s getting stuck in a mental loop, fueled by anxiety, perfectionism, or the deep-seated fear that you’re somehow Doing It All Wrong. A few common culprits:

• You want to get it right. Whether it’s a text, an email, or a major life decision, you’re trying to find the perfect response or outcome.

• You’re worried about what others think. Maybe you fear coming off as awkward, mean, or clueless. Spoiler: people probably don’t remember it as intensely as you do.

• You believe thinking = solving. But overthinking isn’t problem-solving. It’s problem marinating. And sometimes, that just makes everything soggier.

How to Break the Spiral

If you’ve ever tried to tell yourself, just stop overthinking, you know that’s about as effective as telling yourself to just calm down when you’re stressed. Instead, try these approaches:

1. Zoom Out

Ask yourself: Will this matter in a week? A month? A year? Overthinkers tend to focus on the microscopic details when a wide-angle lens would show that it’s really not that deep.

2. Give Yourself a Time Limit

Set a timer for 5-10 minutes to think it through. When time’s up, commit to making a decision or moving on. (Yes, your brain will protest. No, you don’t have to listen to it.)

3. Catch the ‘What-Ifs’

If your thoughts start spiraling into worst-case scenarios, try flipping them: What if things actually go well? What if I handled it just fine? Your brain is just as capable of imagining a good outcome as a bad one—it just needs a nudge.

4. Do Something (Anything) Else

Disrupt the loop by physically changing your environment. Go for a walk, play music, move your body—whatever reminds your brain that there’s life outside of the thought spiral. Go for a walk, play music, move your body—whatever reminds your brain that there’s life outside of the thought spiral.

5. Self-Compassion > Self-Criticism

You’re not a bad person for overthinking. You’re a human with a highly active brain. Instead of berating yourself, try a little self-kindness: I’m doing my best. I don’t need to have this all figured out right now.

The Bottom Line

Overthinking tricks you into believing that if you just think a little harder, you’ll find certainty. But certainty isn’t always available, and that’s okay. You’re allowed to make choices without overanalyzing them to death. You’re allowed to let a conversation be just a conversation. And you’re definitely allowed to move on from that awkward thing you said in 2014. (Promise, nobody remembers it but you.)

So take a deep breath. So take a deep breath. And if your brain insists on replaying that embarrassing moment, at least imagine it with a funny animated commentary like Lizzie McGuire would. Close some of those mental tabs. You’ve got this.