Take our Generalized Anxiety Disorder Test

Find a therapist to overcome anxiety

Overthinking is really emotional avoidance.

The trigger is often small.

You feel your way out, not think your way out.

A distraught woman (I'll call her Nadine), age 35, sat in my office last week and said, "'Stop overthinking' may be the stupidest phrase in the English language." She went on to say that her well-meaning boyfriend was trying to help her feel better, but it did not stop the spiraling of thoughts in her head. In this post, I give further thought to some of the many other counseling clients I've had over the years who have shared similar frustrations about well-meaning others telling them to stop overthinking, and the fact that the more accessible feelings that give rise to overthinking are easier to manage than the spiraling thought loops they trigger.

When Well-Meaning Advice Misdiagnoses the Problem

Many self-help articles say the same thing. Notice your thoughts, challenge them, and "just stop overthinking." And every overthinker........

© Psychology Today