Overthinking is a common habit, but when it becomes excessive and uncontrollable, it may be linked to anxiety, depression, PTSD, or OCD.
Did you receive a job rejection email and are overanalyzing what may have gone wrong during the interview? Or are you lying awake at night wondering if that text you sent your partner came off a little hostile?
This might sound familiar—and that’s ok. Everyone overthinks things from time to time. However, if overthinking becomes a habit that’s causing you a lot of stress, it could be a sign of a larger mental health problem, such as anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
Read on to learn about the causes of overthinking, its link to OCD, and tips to break this habit.
In This Article
What is overthinking?
Overthinking is spending excessive time thinking about something much longer than necessary, says Patrick McGrath, PhD, NOCD’s Chief Clinical Officer. It involves dwelling on the same thoughts about past or future events.
“Overthinking is often an attempt to solve something that feels uncertain or to gain back control over something,” explains Kimberley Quinlan, LMFT, an OCD therapist. “You may engage in overthinking to make this feeling go away or to distract yourself from it.”
Common signs of overthinking
Here are the most common signs of overthinking:
- Spending an excessive amount of time thinking about perceived negative situations.
- Constantly feeling worried or anxious
- Being unable to think about anything else
- Second-guessing your decisions
- Seeking reassurance from others that you did the “right” thing
- Imagining worst-case scenarios
- Replaying situations or experiences in your head
- Focusing on things that are out of your control
- Struggling to let things go
- Assuming what someone else is thinking without proof
- Blaming yourself for negative situations or outcomes
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What causes overthinking?
There are several reasons why you might overthink. These include:
- Anxiety: Overthinking makes you dwell on negative outcomes, which can increase anxiety. In contrast, anxiety can also cause overthinking as your mind seeks control over uncertainty.
- Learned from parent or caregiver: Research suggests that anxious behaviors, such as overthinking, can be learned in childhood.
- Trauma: Traumatic life experiences could trigger overthinking—you might imagine worst-case scenarios to avoid a perceived danger or threat.
- Perfectionism: Trying to get things “just right” can lead to overthinking your choices and dwelling on potential mistakes.
- Depression: This mental health condition can make it difficult to regulate thoughts, which can lead to an increase in overthinking. On the flip side, overthinking can increase symptoms of depression by dwelling on negative feelings and experiences.
When does overthinking become a problem?
You might be dealing with chronic overthinking if it’s:
- Causing significant distress
- Negatively affecting your daily life
- Taking up a significant amount of time
- Unproductive—meaning it’s not leading to any useful information or decision
- Uninvited, unwanted, and difficult to disengage from
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When is overthinking OCD?
OCD is characterized by a cycle of obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are intrusive thoughts, images, urges, feelings, and sensations that cause distress, and compulsions are repetitive physical or mental acts performed to reduce distress or prevent perceived danger.
A common mental compulsion is rumination, which is a type of overthinking that involves repeatedly analyzing or trying to “solve” an obsession. People with OCD may ruminate in an attempt to find certainty or relief from distressing thoughts.
“For people with OCD, rumination can look like engaging with an intrusive thought in an effort to figure it out,” says Stacy Quick, LPC, an OCD specialist. “You attempt to make sense of the intrusive thought or try to rationalize it. It may even look like trying to ‘reverse the thought’ or move on from it with a feeling of assurance.”
However, rumination only provides temporary relief from anxiety. Because compulsions strengthen the belief that obsessions signal real danger, the OCD cycle continues—leading to more distress and uncertainty.
How to stop overthinking
Whether overthinking is just a habit or is tied to a mental health condition, you can do a few things to get it under control.
Below are some strategies to stop or reduce overthinking:
- Track the habit: If you don’t suspect your overthinking is tied to a mental health condition, Quinlan recommends observing the habit. Keep a journal to spot patterns, such as specific triggers, stress, or lack of sleep, so you can better understand and manage it.
- Practice mindfulness: Studies reveal that mindfulness can help reduce overthinking or rumination. Mindfulness involves being fully present and aware of your thoughts rather than becoming absorbed or trying to suppress them. Because mindfulness grounds you in the present moment, you’re less likely to be consumed with overthinking about the past or present, explains Quinlan.
- Ground yourself: Bring yourself back to the present moment by using the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique. You’ll name things you can see, smell, touch, hear, or taste around you to ground yourself and break the cycle of overthinking.
- Talk to a therapist: If you tried a few strategies and are still overthinking, consider working with a therapist. They can help you identify the root cause of your overthinking and learn techniques to control negative thoughts. One approach they may suggest is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which helps recognize and challenge negative thinking patterns.
Exposure and response prevention (ERP) for overthinking and OCD
If you believe your overthinking or rumination is linked to OCD, the first-line treatment is exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy.
During ERP, you’ll work with a therapist to gradually confront your fears while resisting the urge to respond with compulsions, such as rumination. Over time, ERP teaches you to sit with the discomfort from obsessions without falling back on compulsions.
Bottom line
Overthinking is something everyone does. However, if you’re overthinking to a point where it’s causing a lot of distress and affecting your daily life, it may be a sign of a mental health condition. Working with a therapist can help you understand why you’re constantly overthinking, and learn helpful strategies to stop ruminating.
Key takeaways
- Overthinking can be a habit but may also indicate an underlying mental health condition like anxiety, PTSD, depression, or OCD.
- Rumination, a repetitive and obsessive form of overthinking, is a common mental compulsion in OCD.
- Exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy is the preferred treatment for OCD-related rumination.
