How do I stop overthinking?
Catch it, check it, change it. That’s the NHS method. But you can’t check a thought you don’t spot. Anxious thoughts tend to follow a few set patterns, so learn to name yours.
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How do I stop overthinking?
Use three steps the NHS calls catch it, check it, change it. Spot the thought, test it against the facts, then swap it for a fairer one.
Why does it spiral? The NHS says the way we think, feel and act are all linked. An anxious thought makes you feel worse, and feeling worse brings more anxious thoughts.
Catch it, check it, change it
- 1
Catch it
Notice the thought and name its pattern.
- 2
Check it
Ask how likely it is and what the evidence says.
- 3
Change it
Swap it for a neutral or more positive thought.
- 4
Stuck?
Try the NHS thought record, a set of 7 prompts.
Source: NHS Every Mind Matters
You won’t always manage to change the thought. The NHS says there are no right or wrong answers. Stepping back can still help break a negative spiral.
Catching thoughts feels hard at first. With practice it should get easier. Start with the one thought that’s been looping today.
What are unhelpful thinking habits?
They’re the set patterns anxious thoughts tend to follow. NHS inform says knowing them helps you recognise and challenge a thought before it changes what you do.
| Habit | What it sounds like |
|---|---|
| Catastrophising | “They’re late. They must have had an accident.” |
| Black and white thinking | “I failed that exam. I’ll fail my whole degree.” |
| Emotional reasoning | “I feel anxious, so something bad is going to happen.” |
| Jumping to conclusions | “I start a new job tomorrow. No one will speak to me.” |
| Must and should rules | “I should be able to cope.” |
| Labelling | “I couldn’t speak at the meeting. I’m stupid.” |
Source: NHS inform
Other habits include only seeing the bad side of a situation and blaming yourself for everything that goes wrong.
Pick the two or three you have most often and write them down. NHS inform suggests making this list, so you know what to look for.
How do I stop catastrophising?
Catastrophising is the first habit in the table above. NHS inform says people often catastrophise when they’re anxious. Something feels far worse than it really is.
Think of a smoke alarm that goes off for burnt toast as loudly as for a fire. The noise is real, but it can’t tell you which one it is.
So look before you decide it’s a fire. Checking a thought works the same way.
A psychologist quoted by the NHS says if you feel anxious, there’s a good chance you’re thinking things are more dangerous than they really are.
| Step | What you think |
|---|---|
| The thought | “They’re 20 minutes late. They must have had an accident.” |
| The habit | Catastrophising: you’re thinking of the worst thing that could happen. |
| The evidence | “They’re usually on time.” |
| A friend’s view | “They’re just held up in traffic or at work.” |
Source: NHS inform
To check your own thought, ask the NHS questions:
- How likely is the outcome I’m worried about?
- Is there good evidence for it?
- Are there other explanations or possible outcomes?
- What would I say to a friend who was thinking this way?
If there’s something useful you can do right now, like sending a text, the NHS says make sure you do it.
Are perfectionism and anxiety linked?
Yes. A review of 284 studies found perfectionism was linked to many mental health problems, including anxiety. Linked doesn’t prove it causes them.
It can sound like a must or should rule. NHS inform says judging yourself harshly against these rules is self-critical, which makes the anxiety worse.
Try softening one rule this week. “I must be calm at all times” could become “I’d like to feel calm, and I can cope when I’m not.”
NHS inform says it helps to accept that things and people aren’t always perfect. Push hard and look fine on the outside? See high-functioning anxiety.
How to stop anxious thoughts taking over your day
Six NHS steps for a busy mind
- Write your worries down, on paper or in a notes app.
- Set a worry time of 10 or 15 minutes, every day or so, before bed.
- When a worry pops up in the day, tell yourself “I’ll set that aside for my worry time.”
- In worry time, ask “Is there anything practical I can do about it?” Then write what, how and when.
- Accept the worries you can’t do anything about, and move on to the next one.
- Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth for at least 5 minutes. Counting to 5 each way can help, but you may not reach 5 at first.
Sources: NHS: tackling your worries; NHS: breathing exercises
The NHS says regular worry time can help stop your thoughts racing when you’re trying to sleep. Still awake? See how to fall asleep faster.
Skip the quick fixes. The NHS advises against lots of coffee, tea, cola or energy drinks, and against using alcohol to ease anxiety.
These steps come from CBT, a talking therapy that helps you change how you think and act. In trials, CBT treatment moderately cut worry and going over things, compared with control groups.
In England you can refer yourself to NHS talking therapies from 18, or 16 in some areas. You don’t need a diagnosis, and you’ll usually have 5 to 15 sessions.
Dreading one event in particular? See anticipatory anxiety and natural remedies for anxiety.
When to speak to a GP
Most people feel anxious sometimes, and it doesn’t always mean generalised anxiety disorder (GAD). Book an appointment if:
- You’re struggling to cope with anxiety, fear or panic.
- The things you’re trying yourself are not helping.
- You feel anxious most of the time and it affects your everyday life. That’s more likely to be GAD.
- You’ve been diagnosed with GAD and treatments are not helping.
A GP will usually suggest talking therapy before medicine. Never stop or change a prescribed medicine without your prescriber.
Need urgent help for your mental health? Call 111 and choose the mental health option, or ask for an urgent GP appointment. Samaritans are on 116 123.
Call 999 or go to A&E if someone’s life is at risk, or you feel you can’t keep yourself or someone else safe.