Overthinking and thought spirals: how to calm your mind (Episode 321)

Overthinking? Stuck in thought spirals? Racing thoughts? If your mind won’t switch off and you feel trapped in your own head, this episode of the Let’s Talk About Mental Health podcast is for you. This week I’m exploring what’s really going on when an overactive mind ramps up. I’ll also dig into why anxiety and overthinking can fuel rumination, worst-case thinking and catastrophising, and we’ll talk about why “just stop thinking!” doesn’t work when your nervous system is on high alert. I’ll guide you through a practical, real-life way of dealing with overthinking: calm your nervous system with simple nervous system regulation first, then use a clear step-by-step process to interrupt thought spirals and choose what actually deserves your attention. By the end of this episode you’ll know how to stop overthinking in the moment, how to calm your mind more quickly, and what you can do to build habits that stop negative thought spirals from running your life.👉 Ready to calm your mind and turn the volume down on the noise? Then let’s talk!💡 TL;DR: Overthinking and thought spirals can feel like your brain has you trapped on repeat; in this episode, I’ll show you how to calm your mind by turning the volume down at the nervous system level so you can finally think clearly again.Let’s Talk About Mental Health with Jeremy Godwin is all about practical mental health advice for real life; each week I teach you how to improve your mental wellbeing with simple tips that actually work, drawing on my professional expertise as a counsellor as well as my personal experience living with anxiety and depression. Welcome to the conversation!________________________________⏱️ Chapters/Timestamps:0:00 Overthinking and mental health0:42 How to stop a thought spiral2:55 What overthinking really is6:36 Why your brain won’t switch off10:50 How to deal with overthinking21:45 Final self doubt tips📝 Transcript & show notes: https://ltamh.com/?p=19518    ➕ Related episodes:How to stop overthinking so much (Episode 236): https://ltamh.com/?p=13840  Let’s Talk About… Overthinking (Episode 4): https://ltamh.com/?p=340 Ruminating on the past (Episode 313): https://ltamh.com/?p=19054👋 New here? Hi! I’m Jeremy Godwin, writer and counsellor plus the host of the Let’s Talk About Mental Health podcast, your weekly dose of practical advice for better mental health. I share straightforward tips to help you protect your peace and cultivate better mental health, with new episodes every Sunday.🔗 LinksSubscribe for free show notes/transcripts in your inbox: https://ltamh.com/subscribe/  Learn more about Let’s Talk About Mental Health: https://ltamh.com Support me on Patreon for early ad-free episodes: https://www.patreon.com/jeremygodwin My Digital Store: https://ltamh.com/shop/  Buy my Daily Reflection Tool here: https://ltamh.com/product/daily-reflection/Buy my Daily Affirmations tool here: https://ltamh.com/product/affirmations/  Subscribe to my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ltamh  Find me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ltamentalhealth/        #thoughtspirals #overthinking #mentalhealth #mentalhealthtips #bettermentalhealth #ltamhpodcast #letstalkaboutmentalhealth #ltamh #peaceofmind #findingpeace #emotionalhealth #personalgrowth #mentalwellness #mentalwellbeing #emotionalwellbeing #jeremygodwin #anxietyhelp #calmyourmind #racingthoughts #nervoussystemregulation