I can't stop overthinking.

What's probably happening

Your mind has latched onto a problem it cannot solve right now and keeps replaying it anyway. This loop is called rumination, which just means chewing the same thought over and over without getting anywhere new.

What your mind is doing

It believes that thinking harder equals being safer. So it re-runs the conversation, the decision, the maybe-mistake, hoping the next lap will finally settle it. It never does, because the loop produces worry, not answers.

What your body is doing

Even sitting still, you are tense: tight shoulders, shallow breath, maybe a restless stomach. A looping mind keeps the body slightly braced, which is tiring in itself.

Why this happens

Loops love unfinished, uncertain things, and work is full of them. The fix is not to think harder or to force the mind blank; it is to park the thought somewhere it trusts, so it can stop holding it.

What helps today

Keep the note going: every time the loop restarts, add a word to it instead of replaying it. Get your body involved with a short walk or stretch; loops weaken when you move. And ask one honest question: 'Is there an action I can take today?' If yes, do the smallest piece. If no, it goes on the note.

What helps long-term

Build a daily worry window: a fixed 15-minute slot where worrying is the actual agenda. Our worry window article walks through it. For loops about what something meant ('they think I am incompetent'), a thought record helps you test the thought against evidence instead of replaying it. Both are trainable skills, not personality changes.

Therapist tip

Overthinking feels like problem-solving, but you can tell them apart with one test: problem-solving produces a next step, rumination produces the same sentence again. No next step after two laps means it is a loop, and loops get parked, not solved.

Common mistakes

• Trying to argue the loop into silence, which just gives it more material.
• Asking for endless reassurance; it soothes for an hour and feeds the loop for a week.
• Ruminating in bed, where the loop has no competition and your sleep pays the bill.

When to seek more support

If the looping eats hours most days for a few weeks, if it regularly costs you sleep, or if it keeps pulling your attention away from people and work you care about, bring it to a professional: talk to your therapist, or start with Milo in the app.