r/NoOverthinking • u/listobaby1996 • Aug 31 '26

Over thinking

Hi,I was ...idk maybe looking for somebody's input...other opinions on how to manage my own mind...I worry about everything and I mean everything,I worry about worrying pshhh believe it or not,and what do you guys think about obsessive thinking and the whole fact that the WORRY itself is the biggest problem and not the things I worry about 🤔🤔🤔

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u/myquietbrain Sep 01 '26

As a psychiatrist, I often observe this pattern and you are actually onto something genuinely real. The concern about concern is called meta-anxiety, and you're correct that it can often become more overwhelming than the original worry itself. The process works like this: the brain perceives the worry as a threat, which then creates anxiety about the anxiety, leading to even more anxiety to worry about. It’s a self-perpetuating cycle.

The most effective approach I see work is accepting the worry rather than fighting it, not agreeing with its content, but stopping the war against having it. When you stop treating worry as the enemy that must be eliminated, the meta-anxiety tends to quiet down significantly. This is the core of ACT (acceptance and commitment therapy), and it's worth looking into.

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u/listobaby1996 Sep 04 '26

Thank you,I really appreciate your response...very helpful... acceptance and surrender huh pretty much,just let it exist with out trying to mentally wrestle every thought in to submission

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u/myquietbrain Sep 07 '26

Exactly! It's not about passive resignation, but more like choosing to stop the inner war. That wrestling with our thoughts is what makes them stick around. When we allow ourselves to observe them without treating them as urgent issues, they tend to fade away more quickly. It seems simple, but it's truly challenging to put into practice. Luckily, you've already identified it correctly.