Inspiring Change Every Day with Grace
Trapped in Your Head
Later that night, I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, replaying a conversation from earlier that day. Why did I say that? Did I sound stupid?
My brain spun the same moment over and over, dissecting every word, and every facial expression, searching for a hidden meaning. By the time I fell asleep, I had rewritten the whole conversation in my mind, crafting responses I should have said.
And the worst part? The other person had probably forgotten about it entirely. I was overthinking, it felt like a mental treadmill, you’re running, but going nowhere.
Overthinking is when your brain won’t stop analysing, replaying, or predicting situations, making even small decisions feel overwhelming.
Sometimes, it starts with a single thought, but like a domino effect, one worry triggers another until you’re drowning in a sea of what-ifs. It’s exhausting, yet somehow, it feels necessary, like if you just think hard enough, you’ll find certainty. But certainty never comes, only more questions.
Centrally, overthinking is the brain’s way of seeking control in an unpredictable world. If you can predict every outcome, maybe you won’t get hurt. If you analyse every detail, maybe you won’t embarrass yourself.
But here’s the irony, overthinking doesn’t prevent pain; it creates it. It turns harmless moments into emotional spirals, where small concerns morph into catastrophic scenarios leading to a mental overdrive.
This is when your brain is overloaded with too many thoughts at once, making it hard to focus or make decisions. It’s why you can spend an hour trying to draft a simple text or why a small decision like what to wear feels as serious as signing a contract.
The more you try to “solve” the problem, the deeper you sink into indecision. It’s a trap where the mind mistakes thinking for action, convincing you that worrying enough will fix things.
This is not healthy and to mitigate it, you need to recognise when you’re spiralling. Pay attention to thoughts that loop endlessly without solutions. Ask yourself, are you solving a problem, or just creating one in your head?
If there’s no action to take, it’s not productive thinking, it’s mental clutter. Next, shift from rumination to resolution. If you’re worried about something, set a time limit to think about it, then decide on an action or let it go.
You can also opt to write your thoughts down. It helps sometimes, just seeing them on paper can make them lose their power.
Finally, practice mental stillness. Overthinking thrives in silence, so fill your mind with things that drown out the noise; music, exercise, conversations, or activities that demand full presence.
Finally, whenever your brain tells you thinking more will help, remind yourself of the truth: overanalysing a problem doesn’t solve it, it only steals your peace.
“Do not be anxious or worried about anything, but in everything [every circumstance and situation] by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, continue to make your [specific] requests known to God.” Philippians 4:6 AMP
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What’s one thing you’ve ever thought so much that it kept you up at night, and what led to it?
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