Why Do I Keep Obsessing Over My Thoughts?

If your brain constantly feels like it’s on overdrive, looping the same worries, questions or what ifs, you’re not alone.

A lot of the people I work with come to therapy saying things like:

“I just want to turn my mind off.”

“I can’t stop thinking about this one thing.”

“I know it doesn’t make sense, but the thought won’t go away.”

Whether it’s anxiety, OCD, or just a long-standing habit of overthinking everything, getting stuck in your head can be exhausting. So why does it happen? And what can you actually do about it?

First of all, nothing is wrong with you

Let’s start here. If you’re obsessing over your thoughts, it doesn’t mean you’re broken.

Your brain is trying to protect you. It’s scanning for danger, looking for certainty, and doing its best to make sure you don’t miss anything important.

But instead of helping you feel safe, all this thinking just leaves you feeling drained and stuck.

Why does my brain latch on to certain thoughts?

When you live with anxiety or OCD, your brain treats certain thoughts like emergencies.

A random thought pops up and your mind immediately goes, “Hang on, what does that mean? I need to figure this out.”

So you start thinking. And thinking. And Googling. Maybe asking other people what they think. And sure, you might feel a tiny bit better for a few minutes, but the thought always comes back.

That’s because every time you respond to the thought, your brain takes that as a sign it was important. So it sends it again.

And just like that, you’re stuck in a loop.

Thought. Worry. Reassure. Repeat.

Some common thoughts that tend to stick

I hear a lot of these in my work:

• What if I made the wrong decision?
• Did I offend them and not realise?
• Why did I think that—is something wrong with me?
• Am I a bad person for thinking that?
• What if I never get clarity about this?
• 
  

These thoughts are hard to ignore because they usually tap into something you care deeply about.

But going over them again and again doesn’t bring clarity. It just creates more noise.

I know what you’re thinking…

“But I have to think this through, don’t I?”

And I get it. If your brain is telling you there’s a problem, of course you want to fix it. That’s normal.

But here’s the hard truth. Overthinking doesn’t fix things. It just creates more questions and more anxiety.

The real shift happens when you learn how to let thoughts come without jumping in to solve them.

So what can actually help?

If you’re stuck in this cycle, the goal isn’t to get rid of the thoughts. You can’t control what pops up in your mind.

But you can change how you respond. That’s where therapy comes in.

In my work as a therapist supporting people with OCD and anxiety here in Bristol and online, I help people learn how to:

• Notice thoughts without getting dragged into them
• Sit with not knowing instead of chasing certainty
• Step out of the mental loop and back into the real world

This isn’t about positive thinking or pretending everything is fine. It’s about learning new ways to deal with your mind so it doesn’t run the show.

You’re not the only one

Obsessive thoughts can feel really isolating. Like everyone else is breezing through life while you’re stuck in your own head 24/7.

I promise you, you’re not the only one. So many people are carrying this silent mental load and wondering why they can’t just “let it go.”

If that’s you, I want you to know there’s nothing wrong with you—and there is help.

Want to find a way out of the loop?

If you’re ready to stop obsessing over your thoughts and start feeling more grounded again, I’d love to help.

I offer therapy in Bristol and online across the UK, working with people who are tired of overthinking everything and want a calmer, clearer mind.

Get in touch to book a free consultation to start your first step towards getting out of your head and back into life.