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Overthinking: a programme for understanding thoughts that go round

Written by a clinical psychologist

Calm Anxiety is a short-session psychoeducation programme for coping with overthinking: how a thought loop works, why pushing thoughts away makes it harder and how to redirect attention without arguing with the thought. If you replay the same conversation again and again at night, you can start by understanding the loop.

Opens in your browser; a short assessment adjusts where the deepening modules sit, based on your answers.

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Opens in your browser · what you write stays on your device

If one of these sentences is yours

  • "At night I replay a conversation from start to finish, over and over."
  • "I ask “why am I always like this?” hundreds of times without finding an answer."
  • "The harder I try to stop thinking, the more I think."

Sentences we hear often; not user reviews.

What is inside

The deepening module on thought loops is 7 sessions and takes its place in your journey according to your answers; the foundation modules have two more on thoughts and attention. The programme has 16 modules and 112 guided sessions in all.

Topics covered in this section

  • One loop, two directions

    Seeing how the same thought turns both forward (“what if”) and backward (“why did I do that”).

  • Beliefs about your own thinking

    Noticing beliefs about thinking itself, such as “I can’t stop thinking, so it must mean something”.

  • From “why?” to “what exactly?”

    Trying to turn an abstract loop question into a concrete sentence of what could be seen or heard.

  • A small test of pushing a thought away

    Watching, in a small and safe experiment, what happens when you try to push a thought out.

  • Thoughts are not verdicts

    Separating what happened from the meaning you gave it, and looking at all the evidence.

  • Redirecting attention without a fight

    Noticing a thought, not following it, and bringing attention back to an anchor.

A sample step from the programme: from “why?” to “what exactly?”

A question the mind circles is often abstract: broad, evaluative and unanswerable, like “why am I always like this?”. This step tries to turn the question into a concrete sentence that a camera could have filmed; it promises no end to the thought, it is only an experiment.

  1. Write a thought you get stuck on, then ask “what exactly happened, or will happen?” and write only what could be seen or heard in a single sentence (when, where, who, what was done). Do this once, for one thought.

Work today with an everyday thought. If what goes round in your mind is about a very frightening or distressing event, or images overwhelm you, do not do this writing exercise; see a mental health professional. If you feel pulled to rewrite the same sentence again and again to make it “more concrete”, stop: the writing is turning into a ritual. This method may not suit everyone; you do not have to force it.

Shortened from the “From ‘Why?’ to ‘What Exactly?’” session in the app (module: Beliefs That Feed the Loop).

How the programme works

  1. A short assessment

    You answer what you would like to work on; if going round in circles is a main theme, the module on beliefs that feed the loop takes its place in your journey. The result is not a diagnosis. You can skip any question.

  2. Sessions of a few minutes

    Each session has a short piece of information, a thinking step and, most of the time, a small practice. The reason for each practice is always explained; no step is compulsory.

  3. In your browser, at your pace

    Calm Anxiety opens in your browser. An account is needed only to subscribe, or to use your subscription in the browser. Your journal and answers are stored only on your device.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I stop overthinking?

Forcing a thought to stop often makes it stronger. A more useful direction is to notice what kind of thought it is (forward or backward looking), to turn the abstract question into a concrete sentence and to bring attention back to an anchor without arguing with the thought. Calm Anxiety works on these skills in short sessions; it promises no outcome and it is not therapy.

Are overthinking and worry the same thing?

They overlap. Worry usually looks forward (“what if”), while overthinking also looks back (“why did I do that”). The loop module in the programme deals with both directions together.

Is this a treatment?

No. It is a psychoeducation programme; it is not therapy and it does not diagnose. If thought loops clearly disrupt your daily life or have lasted for months, see a mental health professional.

Do I have to write my thoughts down?

Some sessions have short writing steps, but none is compulsory and what you write stays only on your device. If writing overwhelms you, you can skip it; that is part of the programme too.

How long does it take?

The loop module is 7 short sessions; the whole programme is 16 modules and 112 sessions. Progress follows steps, not dates; you can take breaks.

Is any of it free?

The Calm Now tool and the support resources are always free. The full programme needs a subscription; the options are on the pricing page.

Guide on this topic: The Difference Between Worry and Anxiety · All anxiety guides

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