Reading time: ~7 minutes
By the end, you will have:
- a clear picture of what we mean when we say overthinking, and its official terminology in psychology,
- a way to distinguish when your thinking is clearing things up and when it is going around in circles, draining you emo-ιtionally,
- practical solutions to escape procrastination when your mind gets stuck in over-analysis and
σuncertainty.
There are days when you feel exhausted before you have even started. You haven't made a move yet. You haven't made a decision. Yet your body is already tired, your mind is foggy, your mood is low. It's as if you've already lived the whole journey without having budged an inch!
A note on terminology
In everyday language we usually use the term overthinking, because that is the word most people recognise. In literature, however, we more frequently encounter repetitive negative thinking (repetitive negative thinking), anxious thinking ( anxious thinking (worry) and rumination ( rumination (rumination). In this article, I will stick with the word overthinking, which we are used to,, but within the text I will explain it with greater scientific precision.
A moment from the session
«I don't understand why I already feel like I have no energy at all,” says a person in therapy.
«I haven't even started the task».
Hearing this, I say:
«So maybe it's not just what you have to do that has tired you out. Maybe you're tired from the journey you've already made ten times in your mind».
We sit in silence for a moment…
«Yes. It's like I've lived through all the possible scenarios before even taking the first step».
And somewhere around there, the conversation shifts. From «why am not I moving forward?» to “what is my mind trying to prevent when it thinks incessantly?”;“
In their team ReConnecT we often see people who come in saying “I think too much”. In practice, they carry a mind that is constantly trying to manage fear, pressure and self-criticism.
Ultimately, what is overthinking?;
Overthinking is not just «thinking a lot». It isn't even a strict clinical category. It's an everyday word that expresses a pattern where the mind repeats thoughts around potential risks, mistakes or open questions without reaching relief or clarity.
A key distinction helps here. The anxious thinking is more future-oriented: “what if this happens?”. The rumination is more stuck on distress, mistakes and meanings: «why did I do it like that? what does this mean for me?». Both, however, are repetitive, negatively charged and hardly let you restς.
Put simply: overthinking is not a “personality trait”. It's a process.
This connects very closely with what I write in the article «Anxiety: 4 Mental Traps & How to Find Your Calm». Because often what we call overthinking is nothing more than an internal alarm that has learned to ring louder than necessary. And then the problem is not just the thoughts, but also the way the body reads those thoughts as an urgent danger.
Why does the mind overthink?;
Usually not because it loves thinking, but because it finds it hard to bear uncertainty.
When something is open, vague or potentially threatening, the mind often acts as if to say: «If I think about it enough, maybe I can prevent it. If I run through all the possible scenarios, maybe I won't get hurt. If I find the perfect answer, maybe I won't make a mistake».
Except that this attempt at control rarely yields the result it promises. The literature shows that repetitive negative thinking often acts as a way to avoid direct emotional contact and as an attempt to reduce uncertainty, without a real solution being provided. The paradox is that the more you try to control the uncertain purely through thought, the more stuck in it you become.
At this point, you might also find the article «Decisiveness: a matter of readiness or risk-taking?». helpful. Because part of overthinking is precisely this: waiting for readiness to appear first, which will give the green light for action. Except that usually, this clarity does not come before the step; it comes because the step was taken.
The illusion of preparation
Overthinking feels like preparation. As if it brings you closer to a solution.
But most of the time, it simply keeps you on high alert.
And that is very different, as we will see below.
Why it exhausts you so much in theory, while you have not yet done anything in practice;
Exhaustion is neither an «exaggeration» nor laziness. It is the lived aspect of prolonged mental burden.
Recent literature on cognitive fatigue shows that when the brain keeps multiple potential scenarios open, constantly weighs options, monitors risks and tries to avoid mistakes, what we experience as increases effort cost, namely the subjective cost of mental effort itself. In relevant reviews, brain networks associated with effort valuation, the interoception and my allocation of cognitive resources. are involved. Put simply: «I did nothing», does not mean at the same time that the mind was not working hard.
This is why, the more you think, the less energy you have left to do. And the less you do, the more trapped you become within thought.
This is how a vicious circle is built where over-analysis looks like preparation, but in practice produces avoidance.
When does thinking help and when does it trap you?;
Not every thought is useful!
There is thinking that organises, clarifies, and leads somewhere. And there is thinking that goes round in circles, with slightly different phrasing, without producing either understanding or action. And because of that, it is exhausting.
Often, behind this cycle, there is not only cognitive noise but also a difficulty in allowing an emotion to exist without immediately trying to “fix” it. The article «8 myths about emotions that make life harder for “smart” people» will help you see the connection between thought and emotion. Because sometimes it is not just the thinking that exhausts you. It is also the battle not to feel the emotion that is already there.
Research on rumination shows that cyclical, passive focus on distress is linked to a worse mood, poorer problem-solving, and the prolongation of distress. In other words, it is a repetition that blocks the transition to understanding or action.
A simple practical distinction
If a thought helps you move from «what is going on?» to «what is the next small step?», it is probably helping you.
If it simply keeps you stuck in the same loop, it is probably not helping you.
It is trapping you.
Why does it often get worse at night?;
Night-time does not necessarily mean greater vulnerability.
Often it simply means fewer distractions and greater exposure to whatever remains unresolved within us.
There is more emptyς space for the mental «knots» of the day to unravel. The literature on insomnia and repetitive negative thinking (RNT) consistently shows that cognitive and emotional hyperarousal before sleep is linked to more repetitive negative thinking (RNT) and more sleep-related worry.
So, if your overthinking flares up at night, it doesn't mean that “that's when you speak the truth”, but rather that your mind is finding more space to open up loops without a brake.
What actually helps when the mind gets stuck?;
«Stop thinking» certainly doesn't help.
That just adds yet another failed battle.
What helps
First, recognise the process:
«Right now I'm not solving anything; I'm just going round in circles».
Then ask yourself the following questions:
- does this thought help me understand something or is it leading me somewhere?;
- is it just keeping me on high alert?;
- is there one small, specific step that is more useful than another ten scenarios?;
Sometimes escaping overthinking does not come from yet another internal analysis, but from a clearer relationship with «no», «I want» and «I can». As I also write in the article «The three words of self-confidence», self-confidence is not built only through thoughts, but also through actions of setting boundaries and the inner permission to move without needing to be perfect.
On a therapeutic level, the data is quite encouraging. A recent meta-analysis shows that psychotherapy effectively reduces repetitive negative thinking, rumination, and anxious thinking.
Simply put: overthinking does not just need more discipline, but a different relationship with thought, greater tolerance for uncertainty and small, real steps.
At ReConnecT we believe that change doesn't happen when you “defeat” your mind, but when you begin to understand it differently. Not as an enemy that must be silenced, but as a system that has learned to protect you in a painful and exhausting way, and that can be trained into a calmer rhythm.
What to take away today
Overthinking is not an official clinical term, but a real human experience described in literature as repetitive negative thinking. It doesn't exhaust you because you “can't take it”. It exhausts you because the mind is trying to control what it cannot yet close. Not every thought is useful. There is thought that clarifies and thought that goes in circles. And when thought recycles, the way out is not more analysis. It is more awareness, more tolerance for the uncertain and small, real steps.
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This article is based on the science of psychology and the clinical experience of psychologists-psychotherapists. It has a psychoeducational character and does not replace psychotherapy, medical diagnosis or personalised clinical assessment. If what you are reading touches upon intense psychological distress or significantly affects your daily functioning, it is important to seek personalised professional support.
Artificial intelligence may be used supportively in the process of researching, organising and cross-referencing contemporary literature. However, the final text, ideas, clinical judgement, language and responsibility for publication belong to us. Every article is written and edited with human thought, clinical experience and respect for the person reading it.
Written by: Filippos Gkekas, Psychologist Psychotherapist, creator of ReConnecT together with the ReConnecT scientific team.
Bibliography – Articles
Egan, S. J., Dandeneau, S. D., Peach, N., et al. (2024). Repetitive negative thinking and related constructs in youth internalizing symptoms: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Affective Disorders.
Hsu, K. J., Beard, C., Rifkin, L. S., et al. (2023). Intolerance of uncertainty and repetitive negative thinking: Mechanisms across emotional disorders. Current Psychiatry Reports.
Steward, G., Lee, S. W., & colleagues. (2024). Neural mechanisms underlying the effects of cognitive fatigue on effort-based decision-making. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews.
Watkins, E. R. (2020). Reflecting on rumination: Consequences, causes, mechanisms and treatment of rumination. Behaviour Research and Therapy.
Ballesio, A., Lombardo, C., Lucidi, F., et al. (2021). Does cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia reduce repetitive negative thinking and sleep-related worry beliefs? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep Medicine Reviews.
Stenzel, K. L., et al. (2025). Efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy in treating repetitive negative thinking, rumination, and worry: A transdiagnostic meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review.
Watkins, E. R., Taylor, R. S., Byng, R., et al. (2011). Rumination-focused cognitive behavioural therapy for residual depression: Phase II randomised controlled trial. The British Journal of Psychiatry.
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