Most people describe themselves as overthinkers at some point in their lives. They replay conversations. They analyse decisions. They worry about the future. They question whether they handled things well. They imagine alternative outcomes. They try to prepare for every possibility. In moderation, this is part of being thoughtful and responsible. But for some people, thinking does not feel helpful. It feels compulsive. It feels exhausting. It feels impossible to switch off. No matter how much they analyse, they never feel satisfied. Answers lead to more questions. Reassurance fades quickly. Doubt returns.
In my work as a clinical psychologist, I often meet people who say, “If I could just stop thinking, I’d be fine.” They are not lacking insight. They are drowning in it. Overthinking becomes a problem when thinking is no longer about problem solving, but about trying to feel safe. This is where overthinking overlaps with OCD. In OCD, thinking itself becomes a compulsion. People feel driven to mentally review, analyse, check, and question in order to reduce anxiety. They replay events to make sure they did nothing wrong. They scan their memories for certainty. They debate possibilities in their head. They try to prove to themselves that their fears are unfounded.
This mental activity looks productive. It feels responsible. It feels like trying. In reality, it is fuel for anxiety. A person might think, Did I offend them. Did I say something wrong. What if they hate me. Let me replay the conversation. Let me analyse their tone. Let me think of alternative explanations. Let me check messages. Let me ask someone what they think. After an hour of this, they might feel slightly calmer. Then doubt returns. What if I missed something. What if I’m minimising it. What if they are just being polite. So it starts again.
Someone else might think, What if I’m a bad person. What if I secretly want to hurt someone. What if this thought means something. Let me analyse it. Let me check my feelings. Let me reassure myself. Let me look up similar stories. Let me mentally argue with it. This is mental checking.
Someone with health anxiety might think, What if this symptom is serious. Let me review it. Let me compare it to others. Let me remember what the doctor said. Let me google it again. Let me think it through. This is mental reassurance seeking.
In these examples, the mind is trying to eliminate uncertainty. The problem is that uncertainty cannot be eliminated through thinking. No amount of analysis can provide permanent certainty about relationships, health, morality, or the future. There is always another angle. Another possibility. Another doubt. So thinking becomes endless.
Overthinking is reinforced in the same way as other compulsions. When you think your way out of anxiety, even briefly, your brain learns that thinking is necessary. The urge to analyse strengthens. You become more vigilant. Doubt becomes louder. Over time, people lose trust in their intuition and judgment. They rely more and more on mental rituals. They feel disconnected from their own values and preferences. Decisions become painful. Simple choices feel loaded. Many people with this pattern are told to “just stop thinking so much” or “try to be more positive.” This is unhelpful and unrealistic. You cannot force your mind to be quiet. Trying to suppress thoughts usually makes them louder. The goal is not to stop thinking. It is to change your relationship with thinking.
In evidence based treatment for OCD and anxiety, people learn to notice when thinking has shifted from useful problem solving to compulsive rumination. They learn to recognise that urge to analyse as anxiety talking. Instead of engaging, they practise allowing uncertainty. This might mean noticing a doubt and choosing not to answer it. It might mean resisting the urge to mentally review. It might mean letting a question remain open. It might mean acting according to values rather than feelings.
At first, this feels extremely uncomfortable. Anxiety often increases when people stop engaging in mental rituals. This is normal. The brain expects reassurance and does not get it. With practice, something changes. The mind learns that it does not need to solve every thought. Anxiety rises and falls on its own. Doubts lose their urgency. Mental space opens up. People often describe feeling lighter. They have more energy. They are more present. They stop living inside their head.
Overthinking also reduces when people learn to tolerate emotional discomfort. Many people think because they are trying to avoid feeling. They analyse instead of feeling sad, angry, uncertain, or vulnerable. When emotions are allowed, thinking often quietens naturally. This work requires patience and support. It is difficult to stop habits that have been reinforced for years. But it is absolutely possible. If your mind feels like a constant interrogation room where every thought is questioned and examined, you are not broken. You are stuck in a pattern that can be changed.
Working with a psychologist experienced in OCD and anxiety can help you learn how to disengage from unhelpful thinking and rebuild trust in yourself. Evidence based therapy supports people to live more fully, without needing certainty as a condition for peace. You are allowed to live without answering every question your mind asks.
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This blog was written and prepared by Dr Celin Gelgec – Clinic Director and Clinical Psychologist at Melbourne Wellbeing Group.