Can’t Switch Off? Why Overthinking Happens and How Hypnotherapy Can Help
You finally sit down at the end of the day, but your mind doesn't seem to get the message.
Perhaps you're replaying something you said earlier. Thinking about what you need to do tomorrow. Analysing a conversation. Wondering whether you've forgotten something. Or running through different versions of a situation that hasn't even happened yet.
You might tell yourself to stop thinking about it.
But that often seems to make your mind even busier.
For some people, overthinking feels like constantly having too many tabs open in their head. Even when nothing particularly stressful is happening, the mind can still be planning, analysing, anticipating and trying to work things out.
And it can be exhausting.
Overthinking isn't necessarily a problem in itself. We all reflect, worry and think things through sometimes. But when your mind rarely seems to switch off, it can begin to affect how you feel, how you sleep and how easily you can enjoy what's actually happening around you.
What does overthinking actually look like?
Overthinking can show up in lots of different ways.
You might find yourself:
replaying conversations and wondering whether you said the wrong thing
analysing messages, someone's tone or how they behaved
imagining different outcomes before something happens
repeatedly asking yourself "what if?"
worrying about things you can't control
going back over decisions you've already made
looking for reassurance that everything is OK
finding it difficult to concentrate because your mind is somewhere else
struggling to relax without feeling that you should be doing something
lying in bed physically tired while your mind remains wide awake
Sometimes overthinking is obvious. At other times, it can simply feel like being someone who is always thinking.
You might even see it as part of your personality: I've always been like this.
But there is a difference between thinking something through constructively and becoming caught in a loop.
Useful thinking tends to take us somewhere. We consider something, perhaps make a decision or take an action, and then we're able to move on.
Overthinking often doesn't provide the same resolution.
Instead, we arrive back at the beginning and start again.
Why does the brain overthink?
Your brain is remarkably good at trying to keep you safe.
One of the ways it does this is by predicting what might happen next.
If something feels uncertain, important or potentially threatening, your brain may start looking for possible problems. It can review what has already happened, anticipate what could happen next and try to work out how to prevent something from going wrong.
In the right circumstances, that's incredibly useful.
The difficulty comes when this threat-detection system becomes overactive.
When we're experiencing prolonged stress or anxiety, the brain can become increasingly focused on potential problems. Instead of simply responding to what's happening now, it may spend more time scanning for what could happen.
A small uncertainty can quickly become:
What if this happens?
Then:
What would I do if that happened?
And then:
What if I couldn't cope with that?
Before long, the brain is responding emotionally to a situation that hasn't actually happened.
This is one reason overthinking can feel so convincing. Your thoughts may be hypothetical, but the feelings they create can be very real.
Overthinking and anxiety can feed each other
Overthinking and anxiety often become part of the same cycle.
You feel uncertain about something, so you think about it more.
The more you think about it, the more possibilities you discover.
Those possibilities create more uncertainty.
So you think about it again.
For example, imagine sending someone an important message and not receiving a reply.
Initially, you might simply notice that they haven't responded.
Then your mind begins filling in the gaps:
Have I annoyed them?
Did I say something wrong?
Maybe they don't want to speak to me.
Should I send another message?
Nothing about the original situation has necessarily changed. But internally, quite a lot has happened.
The brain has taken uncertainty and attempted to solve it through thinking.
Unfortunately, not every uncertainty can be solved that way.
Why can't I just stop thinking about it?
This is one of the frustrating things about overthinking.
You usually know you're doing it.
Someone might even say, "You're overthinking this."
And part of you may completely agree.
But knowing that you're overthinking doesn't automatically stop the process.
In fact, trying very hard not to think about something can sometimes keep your attention firmly attached to it.
It's a little like telling yourself:
Whatever you do, don't think about a pink elephant.
Your brain first has to check what you're not supposed to be thinking about.
The goal, therefore, isn't necessarily to eliminate unwanted thoughts.
It's developing a different relationship with them.
A thought can appear without requiring an investigation.
You don't have to attend every thought your brain presents to you.
Why does overthinking often get worse at night?
This is something I hear frequently.
You can be busy throughout the day and feel relatively fine. Then you get into bed and suddenly your brain seems determined to review your entire life.
There is a fairly simple reason this can happen.
During the day, your attention has somewhere to go. You're working, talking to people, driving, completing tasks, watching television or dealing with everyday life.
At night, much of that external stimulation disappears.
The room becomes quiet.
And suddenly there is much more space to notice what's happening internally.
That can be when unfinished worries, conversations, decisions and tomorrow's responsibilities seem to become much louder.
If you then start worrying about the fact that you're not sleeping, another cycle can develop:
I need to sleep.
I've only got six hours left.
I'm going to be exhausted tomorrow.
That increased pressure can make relaxing even harder.
Sometimes the most helpful shift isn't trying harder to sleep or trying harder to stop thinking. It's helping the brain and body become better at moving out of that heightened state in the first place.
Overthinking doesn't always look like anxiety
We often imagine anxiety as obvious nervousness or panic.
But it can be much quieter than that.
For some people it looks like perfectionism.
For others it's needing certainty before making a decision.
It might mean checking your work repeatedly, preparing excessively, struggling to delegate, needing reassurance or finding it difficult to leave something unfinished.
You may be extremely capable and appear calm to everyone around you while internally your brain is constantly calculating what needs to happen next.
This can be particularly common in people who are used to carrying responsibility.
Being organised, conscientious and able to anticipate problems can be enormous strengths.
The aim isn't to lose those qualities.
It's being able to use them when they're useful — without feeling as though your brain has to remain permanently switched on.
How can Solution Focused Hypnotherapy help with overthinking?
Solution Focused Hypnotherapy combines Solution Focused Brief Therapy with hypnosis and an understanding of how stress and anxiety can affect the way we think and respond.
Rather than analysing every individual worrying thought, we focus on helping you recognise what is already working, identify the changes you would like to experience and begin building on them.
Hypnosis is also used as part of the process. It involves guided relaxation and focused attention and can provide an opportunity to practise stepping away from the constant mental activity that can accompany stress and anxiety.
Over time, the aim is not to stop you thinking.
Thinking, planning and anticipating are useful abilities.
It is about helping you have greater choice over where you place your attention, so that thoughts don't always need to become loops.
You might begin to notice that you can make a decision without revisiting it repeatedly. Leave a conversation without analysing every word. Relax without feeling that you should be doing something. Or notice a worrying thought and allow it to pass without following it.
Sometimes progress is less about having a completely different mind and more about discovering that you don't have to engage with everything your mind produces.
Hypnotherapy for overthinking in Bicester and online
If overthinking, anxiety or a mind that rarely seems to switch off is getting in the way of everyday life, Solution Focused Hypnotherapy may be able to help.
I offer Solution Focused Hypnotherapy from my practice near Bicester in Oxfordshire, as well as online hypnotherapy sessions across the UK.
If you’d like to find out more, you can explore how Solution Focused Hypnotherapy works or get in touch to arrange an initial consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions About Solution-Focused Hypnotherapy
What happens during your first hypnotherapy session?
Your first appointment is slightly different from your ongoing sessions. It's called an Initial Consultation and is an opportunity for us to explore what you'd like support with, discuss your goals and explain how Solution-Focused Hypnotherapy works.
You'll learn about how stress affects the brain, why certain patterns develop and how the therapy is designed to help. There is also plenty of time to ask questions before deciding whether you'd like to begin treatment.
What does hypnosis actually feel like?
Everyone experiences hypnosis slightly differently, but most people describe it as feeling deeply relaxed whilst remaining aware of what's happening around them.
Some people feel as though they're simply listening with their eyes closed. Others notice they become so absorbed in the experience that time seems to pass more quickly.
There isn't a "right" way to experience hypnosis. The important thing is that you're comfortable and able to engage with the process.
Can everyone be hypnotised?
Most people can experience hypnosis, provided they're willing to engage with the process and follow the guidance. Hypnosis isn't something that's done to you—it's something we do together.
You don't need to have a particular type of personality or a "strong mind" for hypnosis to be effective.
Will I reveal secrets?
No.
You'll never be asked to reveal anything you don't want to discuss, and hypnosis doesn't bypass your values, judgement or personal boundaries.
Is Solution-Focused Hypnotherapy evidence-based?
Solution-Focused Hypnotherapy combines principles from Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, clinical hypnosis and evidence-informed concepts from neuroscience and positive psychology.
Research supports the use of clinical hypnosis for a number of difficulties, including some anxiety disorders, stress, pain management and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), whilst research into the precise mechanisms by which hypnosis produces therapeutic change continues to develop. Like many psychological therapies, outcomes vary from person to person.
Who Can Solution-Focused Hypnotherapy Help?
People seek Solution-Focused Hypnotherapy for many different reasons.
It may be helpful if you're experiencing:
Anxiety or excessive worry
Stress or burnout
Low confidence or self-esteem
Panic attacks
Social anxiety
Health anxiety
Fears and phobias
Poor sleep or insomnia
Overthinking or rumination
Procrastination
Unhelpful habits
Performance anxiety
Exam stress
Workplace stress
If you're unsure whether Solution-Focused Hypnotherapy is the right approach for your situation, an Initial Consultation provides an opportunity to discuss your goals and decide whether it's likely to be a good fit.
Final Thoughts
Beginning therapy can feel like a big step, especially if you've never experienced hypnosis before.
Hopefully, understanding what happens during a Solution-Focused Hypnotherapy session has helped remove some of the uncertainty.
Every session is designed to help you move forwards at your own pace, combining conversation, practical neuroscience, guided relaxation and clinical hypnosis to support meaningful, lasting change.
The aim isn't to become a different person.
It's to help you feel calmer, think more clearly and reconnect with the version of yourself that's often hidden beneath stress, anxiety or overwhelm.
If you're ready to explore whether Solution-Focused Hypnotherapy could help, I'd be delighted to welcome you for an Initial Consultation, answer your questions and help you decide whether it's the right approach for you.
I'm Andy Selway-Woolley, a Solution-Focused Hypnotherapist based in Upper Heyford, near Bicester, Oxfordshire. I offer Solution-Focused Hypnotherapy in person from my private therapy room and online across the UK. If you're considering hypnotherapy and would like to find out whether it's the right approach for you, I'd be delighted to welcome you for an Initial Consultation. Together, we can discuss your goals, answer any questions you may have, and explore how Solution-Focused Hypnotherapy may be able to support you.
I’m a registered and accredited member of Complementary & Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC), Association for Solution Focused Hypnotherapy (AfSFH) and National Council for Hypnotherapy (NCH).