We’ve added some quick answers here for anyone that just wants some straight to the point information. If you are more curious please read on for the full blog post below!
Quick answers about anxiety and overthinking
Is overthinking a sign of anxiety?
Yes. Overthinking is one of the most common ways anxiety shows up. It often involves repetitive worry, mental checking, or going over the same situation repeatedly.
Why does anxiety make people overthink?
Anxiety tends to make the mind search for certainty and try to prevent problems before they happen. That can lead to constant analysing, second-guessing, and difficulty switching off.
What is the best therapy for anxiety?
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is generally considered a first-line treatment for anxiety. Depending on what is contributing to the anxiety, other approaches such as ACT, Schema Therapy, DBT, or EMDR may also be helpful.
Can anxiety be treated in different ways?
Yes. Anxiety is treatable through a number of evidence-based approaches. The most appropriate therapy depends on whether the anxiety is linked more closely to current stress, longstanding patterns, trauma, attachment difficulties, or emotional regulation issues.
Understanding overthinking and anxiety
Many people describe anxiety not simply as feeling worried, but as getting stuck in loops of thinking. Thoughts about work, relationships, health, or the future can repeat constantly, making it difficult to focus or relax.
For adults living and working in busy areas like Darlinghurst and inner Sydney, this pattern is particularly common. A fast-paced environment, high expectations, and constant information can leave the mind searching for certainty. Research suggests that repetitive thinking styles such as worry and rumination are central processes in anxiety disorders and related emotional difficulties. Worry can be a very normal thing, but if you cannot seem to shift it or it’s just constantly there it can be worth getting some help and developing strategies to manage it.
What overthinking can look like
Overthinking often shows up in everyday ways such as:
- replaying conversations repeatedly
- analysing decisions for long periods of time
- mentally preparing for worst-case scenarios
- difficulty switching off thoughts at night
- reviewing mistakes or perceived failures
While occasional worry is normal, persistent overthinking can become mentally exhausting.
Why anxiety creates repetitive thought cycles
From a psychological perspective, worry often develops because the brain is trying to anticipate and control potential threats. The idea of a potential threat (whether that be a physical threat or a day-to-day ‘threat’ like a conversation going wrong, or getting negative feedback at work) brings on a human anxiety response. The mind attempts to stay one step ahead by analysing situations in detail and coming up with solutions. The idea behind this is that if we can solve it then we will feel better, but often we do not find this to be the case as unfortunately this tends to increase attention to perceived problems and can strengthen anxiety over time.
In a way, our brain is trying to solve for a solution that does not yet exist so it can constantly throw up more what ifs and we get stuck trying to fix the natural anxiety life brings rather than work with it in a helpful way.
Avoidance behaviours can also reinforce this cycle. If someone avoids situations that trigger anxiety, the brain never has the opportunity to learn that those situations may actually be manageable.
Anxiety can have different underlying causes
Although overthinking is common in anxiety, the reasons people feel anxious can vary significantly.
For some people anxiety is related to current stressors, such as work pressure, burnout, relationship strain, or major life transitions. For others, anxiety may have longer-standing roots, including past trauma, attachment experiences, or deeply held beliefs about safety or failure.
Because of this, therapy usually begins with a comprehensive psychological assessment to understand what may be contributing to the anxiety – this is important so that you can receive appropriate treatment.
CBT is often the first-line treatment for anxiety
Among psychological therapies, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is widely recognised as a first-line treatment for anxiety.
CBT focuses on identifying patterns between thoughts, emotions, and behaviour and developing strategies to change them. At Darlinghurst Psychologists, all therapists know how practise CBT as part of their evidence-based approach, however, that does not mean therapy stops there (or sometimes even starts there).
Other therapy approaches may also be considered
Depending on the nature of the anxiety including where it comes from and how long it has existed, other therapies may also be helpful:
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) – focuses on psychological flexibility and living according to personal values
- Schema Therapy – explores deeper life patterns and early experiences that influence current emotional responses
- Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) – focuses on emotional regulation and distress tolerance skills
- Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) – often used when anxiety is connected to trauma or distressing experiences
A thoughtful assessment can help determine which approach may be most helpful.
When to consider speaking with a psychologist
It may be worth seeking support if overthinking:
- occurs most days
- interferes with work or relationships
- affects sleep or concentration
- feels difficult to interrupt
Working with a psychologist can help identify the patterns that maintain anxiety and develop practical tools for managing it.
If you this it would be a helpful time to seek some please give us a call at Darlinghurst Psychologists or sending us an email – Our contact information can be found here. Our dedicated intake officer can help pair with one of the Psychologists who best fits your needs, or you can also nominate someone you want to work with – you can take a look at The Team and go from there
References
Borkovec, T. D., Alcaine, O., & Behar, E. (2004). Avoidance theory of worry and generalized anxiety disorder. In R. G. Heimberg, C. L. Turk, & D. S. Mennin (Eds.), Generalized anxiety disorder: Advances in research and practice (pp. 77–108). New York, NY: Guilford Press.
Hofmann, S. G., Asnaani, A., Vonk, I. J. J., Sawyer, A. T., & Fang, A. (2012). The efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy: A review of meta-analyses. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 36(5), 427–440. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-012-9476-1
Nolen-Hoeksema, S., Wisco, B. E., & Lyubomirsky, S. (2008). Rethinking rumination. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 3(5), 400–424. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-6924.2008.00088.x
Watkins, E. R. (2008). Constructive and unconstructive repetitive thought. Psychological Bulletin, 134(2), 163–206. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.134.2.163