How to Stop Overthinking

Rumination is like a worn-out record replaying the same tunes over and over again 🎼. This loop of replaying and dwelling on negative events, conversations, or worries in our minds, leaves us feeling drained and overwhelmed. Thinking about the past also stops us from living in the present moment and practicing mindfulness.

Luckily, rumination is within our control! Even though it may seem automatic (and telling ourselves to just stop is easier said than done), increasing our awareness for when and how we fall into the cycle of a rumination wheel is a key first step to understanding how to stop it.

Knowing how to spot the patterns that lead us to ruminate can help us to not only break the cycle, but to also redirect our focus elsewhere (and ideally, somewhere more productive and helpful to us).

Step 1: Increase awareness and recognise what is happening.

Step 2: Interrupt the cycle. Snap, clap, or say “STOP” to break up your thinking.

Step 3: Redirect your attention elsewhere. Shift to the present moment. What do you see around you? Hear? Smell? Do a deep dive into your favourite past time (care to crochet, anyone?)

Step 4: Reframe your thoughts. Look for the evidence! Are the thoughts you are thinking accurate? Would they hold up in a court of law?

Practice replacing catastrophic thoughts with more realistic and balanced ones (here is where most people find the support of a therapist most helpful).

Give it a shot but don’t hesitate to reach out for help. We are always here.