Overthinking and rumination: how to step out of the loop

Overthinking, often called rumination, means going over the same thoughts again and again in a circular way that does not lead anywhere useful. It might be replaying a conversation, asking yourself why you feel the way you do, or turning a problem over long after it stops being helpful. Research links rumination with low mood and anxiety. The good news is that it can be noticed and changed, and there are practical ways to step out of the loop.

Key points

• Rumination is repetitive, circular thinking that tends to leave you feeling worse rather than clearer.
• A simple test: after thinking about something, have you made progress, understood it better or feel any kinder towards yourself? If not, it is probably rumination.
• Research links rumination with depression, anxiety and difficulty solving problems.
• Sorting worries into practical problems and “what ifs”, using worry time and shifting attention to the present can all help.
• Talking therapy, particularly approaches that focus on repetitive thinking, has good evidence behind it.

What is rumination?

Everyone thinks back over things. Reflecting on a difficult day or a decision can help you learn, make sense of what happened and move on. Rumination is different. It tends to repeat the same questions without new answers: “Why did I say that?”, “What’s wrong with me?”, “What if it goes badly?”. Instead of reaching a conclusion, the thinking goes round in circles.

Some rumination looks backwards, going over mistakes, losses or things people said. Some looks forwards, as worry about what might happen. Researchers often group both under the term “repetitive negative thinking”, and describe it as something that shows up across many different difficulties rather than belonging to one condition.

How can I tell if I’m ruminating or problem-solving?

Guidance from King’s College London suggests asking yourself a few questions after a spell of thinking about something:

• Have I made any progress towards solving the problem?
• Do I understand it better than I did before?
• Am I less self-critical or less down than when I started?

If the answer to all three is no, you are probably ruminating. This is not a failing. It is simply a sign that more thinking is unlikely to help right now, and that something different might.

Why do I overthink?

Rumination usually starts as an attempt to help. When something hurts or feels uncertain, the mind tries to understand it, fix it or prevent it happening again. It can feel responsible, even necessary, to keep thinking. The trouble is that going over a painful question in a low or anxious state tends to bring up more painful material, which can make the feeling stronger.

A widely cited 2008 review of research on rumination found evidence that it can worsen depression, increase negative thinking, get in the way of problem-solving and reduce the support people feel from others. The same review linked rumination to anxiety and to some other difficulties too. In other words, the habit that feels like it should help can end up keeping you stuck.

Rumination can also be tied up with a harsh inner critic, with low self-esteem, or with periods of stress and change. For some people, it is a long-standing way of coping that once made sense.

How do I stop overthinking?

There is no switch to turn rumination off, and trying hard not to think about something rarely works. What helps is noticing the loop and gently doing something different. NHS Every Mind Matters and King’s College London suggest approaches such as:

1. Write it down. Getting thoughts out of your head and onto paper or a notes app can make them easier to look at one at a time.
2. Sort practical problems from “what ifs”. The “worry tree” approach asks: can I do anything about this? If yes, plan what, how and when. If not, practise letting it go for now.
3. Break a practical problem into steps. Ask yourself what the first small action would be, rather than trying to solve everything at once.
4. Try worry time. Set aside a short, regular slot, such as 10 to 15 minutes, to write down and look at your worries. When they come up at other times, remind yourself you will come back to them later.
5. Bring your attention to the present. Mindfulness, a grounding exercise, a short breathing exercise or physical activity can help you step out of your head and into what you can see, hear and feel.
6. Notice the cost. Reminding yourself that this way of thinking tends to leave you feeling worse can make it easier to step away from it.

Distraction can help for a while, and research suggests absorbing activities can lift low mood. King’s College London notes, though, that distraction can slide into avoidance, so it works best as a way to interrupt rumination rather than to avoid real problems that need attention.

These steps take practice. Expect to catch yourself halfway through a loop many times. Each time you notice and step out, you are building a new habit.

When might overthinking be a sign of something more?

Overthinking is very common and is not a diagnosis in itself. But if it is part of persistent worry about many things, low mood that will not lift, or fears that are affecting your daily life, it may be connected to anxiety or depression. It is worth speaking to your GP if you are struggling to cope, if your sleep, work or relationships are suffering, or if you are having thoughts of harming yourself. In England, you can also refer yourself to NHS Talking Therapies for anxiety and depression.

Can therapy help with rumination?

Yes. A 2025 meta-analysis of 55 randomised controlled trials found that cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) had a moderate effect in reducing repetitive negative thinking, including both worry and rumination, across different diagnoses. Approaches designed specifically to target repetitive thinking, such as rumination-focused CBT, worked better than more general approaches.

Therapy can also offer something self-help cannot: space to look at what the thoughts are about. Rumination often circles around something that matters, such as a loss, a relationship, a fear of failing or a sense of not being good enough. Understanding that, with someone alongside you, can make it easier to let the loop go.

How therapy with me can help

As an integrative psychotherapist registered with the BACP, I work with adults who find themselves stuck in loops of worry, self-criticism or going over the past. Using CBT-informed ideas, we can notice when and how rumination starts and what keeps it going. Using person-centred and psychodynamic approaches, we can also explore what the thinking might be trying to resolve, at a pace that feels right for you. Sessions are in Farringdon, Central London, or online, in English or Turkish.

If you are in crisis, call 999, go to A&E, call NHS 111, or contact Samaritans on 116 123 (free, 24/7).

If your thoughts keep pulling you back into the same loop, you are welcome to get in touch to arrange an initial consultation. We can talk about what has been happening and whether working together feels right for you.