)
Breaking the Cycle of Overthinking
What would life be like if you didn’t give that thought so much attention? — Professor Adrian Wells, originator of Metacognitive Therapy
Overthinking: The Root of Anxiety and Depression
Overthinking is often at the heart of common mental health issues like anxiety and depression. The way we relate to our thoughts can amplify these struggles, but Metacognitive Therapy (MCT) offers a powerful way to break free from the cycle of overthinking. MCT challenges ingrained beliefs about thoughts, such as the ideas that:
“Automatic thoughts matter”“Worrying equals preparedness”“Rumination will resolve past issues”By questioning these beliefs, MCT helps you detach from the need to constantly engage with your thoughts, reducing their power and freeing you from the mental traps of worry and rumination.
If you have an important thought, can you still choose what to do next?– Professor Adrian Wells, originator of Metacognitive Therapy
Self-Regulation through MCT: Responding, Not Reacting MCT teaches that thoughts themselves don’t really matter—what matters is how we respond to them. It encourages you to step back and allow your mind and body to self-regulate. The issue lies not in the thoughts or feelings themselves, but in our beliefs about them and our often unhelpful responses.
Instead of automatically reacting or trying to control every thought, MCT helps you create distance from your thoughts. By doing so, you regain the ability to choose your next step, empowering you to break free from the exhausting cycles of overthinking.
How many thoughts do you have a day that you already don’t pay attention to?– Professor Adrian Wells, originator of Metacognitive Therapy
Understanding Worry and Rumination Worry: Worry typically focuses on future “what ifs” and potential problems. This relentless loop of anxious thoughts can disrupt daily life and sleep, often leading to anxiety disorders like Generalised Anxiety Disorder, health anxiety, or social anxiety.
Through MCT, you learn to observe worry without getting caught up in it, reducing its power over your mind and helping you feel more at ease with uncertainty.
Rumination: Rumination fixates on past events, often leading to low moods, brooding, and depression. This pattern intensifies feelings of loss, inadequacy, or regret, and it can be a slow, consuming process that often goes unnoticed until it has already taken a toll on your mental health.
MCT helps you disengage from the cycle of rumination by shifting your focus to how you relate to those past thoughts, helping you break the habit of revisiting painful memories without resolution.
“Automatic thoughts matter”“Worrying equals preparedness”“Rumination will resolve past issues”By questioning these beliefs, MCT helps you detach from the need to constantly engage with your thoughts, reducing their power and freeing you from the mental traps of worry and rumination.
If you have an important thought, can you still choose what to do next?– Professor Adrian Wells, originator of Metacognitive Therapy
Self-Regulation through MCT: Responding, Not Reacting MCT teaches that thoughts themselves don’t really matter—what matters is how we respond to them. It encourages you to step back and allow your mind and body to self-regulate. The issue lies not in the thoughts or feelings themselves, but in our beliefs about them and our often unhelpful responses.
Instead of automatically reacting or trying to control every thought, MCT helps you create distance from your thoughts. By doing so, you regain the ability to choose your next step, empowering you to break free from the exhausting cycles of overthinking.
How many thoughts do you have a day that you already don’t pay attention to?– Professor Adrian Wells, originator of Metacognitive Therapy
Understanding Worry and Rumination Worry: Worry typically focuses on future “what ifs” and potential problems. This relentless loop of anxious thoughts can disrupt daily life and sleep, often leading to anxiety disorders like Generalised Anxiety Disorder, health anxiety, or social anxiety.
Through MCT, you learn to observe worry without getting caught up in it, reducing its power over your mind and helping you feel more at ease with uncertainty.
Rumination: Rumination fixates on past events, often leading to low moods, brooding, and depression. This pattern intensifies feelings of loss, inadequacy, or regret, and it can be a slow, consuming process that often goes unnoticed until it has already taken a toll on your mental health.
MCT helps you disengage from the cycle of rumination by shifting your focus to how you relate to those past thoughts, helping you break the habit of revisiting painful memories without resolution.