Why Can't I Switch Off? Understanding Anxiety and Overthinking

Do you ever feel like your mind just won’t stop?

Like no matter how tired you are, your brain insists on replaying conversations, imagining worst-case scenarios, or planning tomorrow down to the last detail… again and again?

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Many of the people I work with describe their minds as “busy,” “spiralling,” or “constantly on.” Often, this comes hand-in-hand with anxiety.

Let’s take a closer look at what’s really going on—and why you’re not broken for feeling this way.

The Link Between Anxiety and Overthinking

When we feel anxious, our brain goes into high-alert mode. It’s trying to protect us—scanning for potential danger, working overtime to predict or prevent anything that could go wrong.

This might have been helpful when we were cave-dwellers watching out for sabre-toothed tigers… but in everyday life, it’s less helpful when our brain treats an awkward conversation or a health worry like a life-or-death situation.

This kind of thinking is called rumination. It’s when we go over the same thoughts again and again, trying to find answers, certainty, or control. But instead of solving the problem, it often makes us feel worse—more exhausted, more uncertain, more stuck.

Why It’s So Hard to “Just Stop Thinking About It”

You’ve probably had someone say, “You’re overthinking it,” or “Just distract yourself!”—as if you haven’t already tried that a hundred times.

But ruminating thoughts aren’t something you can just turn off. Your mind thinks it’s helping. It’s trying to figure something out, prevent pain, or keep you safe. So rather than fighting the thoughts, it can be more helpful to understand what they might be trying to do for you.

For example, maybe your overthinking is:

• Trying to solve a problem so you feel more prepared

• A way of seeking certainty in an uncertain world

• A strategy to avoid difficult feelings like sadness, guilt, or fear

• A form of self-protection after being hurt or let down in the past

Understanding the intention behind the overthinking doesn’t make it go away—but it softens the self-criticism. It opens the door to working with your mind, rather than against it.

Gentle Ways to Calm a Busy Mind

Here are some approaches my clients find helpful when they’re caught in a loop of anxiety and rumination:

🌀 Name the Pattern

Simply saying, “Ah, I’m stuck in a rumination loop,” can create some space between you and the thoughts. You’re not your overthinking—you’re noticing it.

🧭 Ask: What’s This Thought Trying to Do For Me?

See if you can spot the worry’s intention. Is it trying to help you feel safe? Prevent embarrassment? Get clarity?

🌿 Ask: Is this thought helpful?

More often than not the answer is no. If so, then distract yourself with something else. Get up, move, start a task. Find something else more helpful to busy your mind with,

📓 Write It Down (Then Close the Notebook)

Journalling can help get your thoughts out of your head. You might even say, “I’m giving myself 10 minutes to worry on paper—and then I’m done for now.”

💬 Talk It Through

You don’t have to sit with all of this alone. A supportive conversation—with a friend, therapist, or even your future self on a voice note—can help break the loop.