How to Stop Overthinking: Tools to Calm Your Anxious Mind

Overthinking can feel like being stuck on a mental hamster wheel—going in circles, getting nowhere, and feeling more drained with each spin. Whether it’s replaying conversations, imagining worst-case scenarios, or obsessing over every possible outcome, the mental noise can be overwhelming.

At its core, overthinking is the mind’s way of trying to protect us. It tells us: “If I just think a little more, I’ll figure it out.” But in reality, overthinking rarely leads to clarity. Instead, it often fuels anxiety, disrupts sleep, and leaves us feeling disconnected from the present.

How to Stop Overthinking: Tools to Calm Your Anxious Mind - AE Therapy - Angelica Esposito | EMDR Burlington

What Does Overthinking Look Like?

• Replaying past events, worrying you said or did the wrong thing

• Struggling to make decisions—even about small things

• Constant “what if” scenarios running through your head

• Asking others for reassurance but still feeling unsure

• Feeling mentally exhausted but unable to turn off your thoughts

If any of this sounds familiar, take a breath—you’re not broken, and you don’t have to keep doing this alone.

Tools to Help Calm Your Mind

While there’s no instant switch to stop overthinking, there are strategies that can help quiet the noise and bring more calm and clarity into your day.

🌿 Grounding Techniques

Shifting your attention from your thoughts to your senses can help anchor you in the present. Try:

• Breathing deeply and slowly

• Holding something warm (like a mug of tea)

• Naming five things you can see, hear, or touch right now

🧠 Set a Worry Window

Give your mind space to worry—but on your terms. Set a timer for 10–15 minutes, write down what’s on your mind, and stop when the timer ends. This practice teaches your brain that worry has limits.

🧭 Identify What You Can Control

Overthinking thrives on uncertainty. Try listing what’s in your control right now—and what isn’t. Focus your energy on the first list. Let the second one go, even just for today.

💛 Practice Self-Compassion

Instead of criticizing yourself for “thinking too much,” try acknowledging what you’re going through:

“My mind is working hard because it wants to protect me.”

“It’s okay to feel uncertain—I’m doing my best with what I have.”

How Therapy Can Help

If overthinking is interfering with your daily life, relationships, or mental health, therapy can offer meaningful support. Together, we can explore what’s fueling these thought patterns and gently work toward lasting change.

In my practice, I use evidence-based approaches like EMDR and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help clients move beyond overthinking and into more present, values-driven lives.

• EMDR helps process underlying memories or experiences that may be keeping your brain stuck in a loop, reducing the emotional charge tied to specific triggers.

• ACT teaches you how to notice and unhook from unhelpful thoughts while staying connected to what truly matters to you—your values, your goals, and your peace of mind.

You don’t have to silence your thoughts—you just need new ways to respond to them. With the right tools and support, it’s absolutely possible to create more mental space, more calm, and more freedom.