Hi, I’m Dr. Tom McDonagh, a psychologist at Good Therapy SF. When your brain won’t stop spinning on the same worry, that’s called the thought loop, and it might feel like you’re trying to figure something out, but really your mind is stuck in a cycle that increases anxiety.
So let’s talk about what’s happening and how to break free.
So what is a thought loop? It’s a repetitive mental pattern where you revisit the same worry or scenario or regret. It gives the illusion of control, but usually just leads to exhaustion and frustration.
So why does this happen? The brain is trying to protect you from uncertainty. It wants to find a solution. But because many worries don’t have immediate answers, the mind keeps looping in search of one.
So how do we recognize thought loops? You notice that you’re thinking about the same thing over and over again. You don’t feel closer to an answer, only more tension. Or the thought loop often starts automatically, especially during quiet or stressful moments.
So how do we break the cycle? One way is to try to label it: “this is a thought loop”, for example. Naming and creating it creates distance.
Second, you can try to ground yourself. Use your senses, look around, touch something or move your body.
Or you can try to redirect with some action. Try writing it down, sending that message you’re delaying on or taking one small step of action if possible.
Now if things are not actionable, just say to yourself, “I’ll come back to this later” and shift your focus intentionally.
When to get support: if thought loops are starting to interfere with sleep, focus, or peace of mind. The therapists here, at Good Therapy SF can help you out. Reach out for more.
