Wish I Could Stop Thinking...

I have a problem with overthinking and constantly thinking, sometimes obsessing. But its usually just thinking too much. It plagues me to no end. I dont know how to stop, its automatic in my mind- perhaps a worry problem, i dont know... Think its worse at night.

Realize you're not alone. I know how you feel. Sometimes I cannot stop thinking and I get upset with myself for it.

I do the same thing. When that happens, I try to find some sort of distraction to keep my mind occupied until I'm ready to go to sleep. Music is usually pretty good for me, as well as watching some TV or getting on the internet. I usually don't have people to talk to when it happens, so I have to figure it out on my own and deal with it as best I can. Writing down your thoughts on paper is also good too. It'll clear your mind.

See, distractions can only help me so much. Its like my brain is trying to figure something out but never truly does..

I'm on the same boat which led me to sign up to this forum. It's not as bad as it used to be but I still over-think pretty frequently - usually about past events or conversations I wished I handled better. My overthinking is rooted in negativity, regret, insecurity, and my discontent with my friends (I need to change my circle of friends ASAP).

Just like some here, distractions are great temporary fixes. Meditation works very well also. There is a link to this site I want to provide but am not able to due to not having enough posts (requirement is 10 in order to provide a link/attachment). However, type in "How to control the human body" in the search link above and you will find it. It's by Coma Patient 7.

There's a lot of info talking about how to control ones body (emotions, heartbeat, dreams, etc..). This can provide a healthy way to redirect ones focus away from incessant thinking and towards a healthy, positive practice.

I too have problems with overthinking in an ocd kinda way. I start spiraling down then start remembering all of the hurts that made me this way. My therapist has been great in teaching me different methods of distraction. However, i think i am overdoing the distraction - this last week i have been engrossed in more reading than i have in the last 5years. While im reading, im also watching tv- pretty much anything that looks interesting. Ive also been online intermittantly troubleshooting a problem with my windows update upsoftware. Its so bad its keeping me up throughout the night and ive only been getting to bed in the morning (8am,10:30am) tthen waking early afternoon (1pm,2pm). My therapist mentioned it might be hypomania, but ive been on 3 antidepressants for more than a year. If i had bipolar ii it would have shown up a long time ago. Can anybody help? Could it just be an extreme form of anxiety? My therapist isnt sure and i dont see my pdoc for a few more weeks.

I don't know how it's possible, but I'm in the same boat as you. Only difference is I've never got any help or advice for my issue. No matter what I do, I am always over-thinking. I literally find myself analyzing unimportant conversations, replaying it over and over in my head. I think about all the different things I could have said, realizing that it doesn't even matter. But I still think about it.

I think the one thing that is always on my mind is my 'empty' feeling. I feel like I have a piece missing and can never truly be happy with myself. And that is where distractions come in. I don't know what I would do without my books or TV. I seriously lock myself in my bedroom for hours, just reading and reading. The past week I have read for at least nine hours a day. I just don't want to come back and face reality because I truly hate it.