ANXIETY UNDER SIEGE: HOW TO STOP OVERTHINKING AND REGAIN CONTROL OF YOUR MIND

Have you ever stopped to think that your own thoughts might be sabotaging your mental health? In a world where we are bombarded by endless worries, anxiety becomes a constant companion. The most curious thing is that, often, the problem isn’t what we are thinking, but how we deal with those thoughts. What if the key to reducing mental overload was to stop trying to control everything and instead start controlling how we react to our thoughts?

This is where Metacognitive Therapy (MCT) comes in, a revolutionary tool that promises to interrupt this vicious cycle, allowing you to regain control of your mind.

We live in a world full of worries, ranging from everyday details like choosing the right outfit for an important meeting to larger existential questions, such as doubt about the future of one’s career. With the constant bombardment of stimuli and expectations, our minds easily become a battlefield of excessive thoughts. But how do we stop this avalanche? The answer may lie in Metacognitive Therapy (MCT), which emerges as a powerful ally to help manage this turmoil.

Anxiety, one of the most prevalent psychological conditions in modern society, affects about 18.1% of the global population, making it one of the greatest challenges for mental health (Kessler et al., 2005). One of the key factors fueling chronic anxiety is the cycle of excessive thinking—the famous “worries.” Often, these worries are based on unrealistic assumptions and negative anticipations, creating a vicious cycle. The good news? Metacognitive Therapy emerges as a proven approach, capable of breaking this cycle and bringing lasting relief.

The Root of Anxiety

Anxiety is not just an emotional state; it has deep roots in our brain processes and physiology. When we feel threatened, whether by something real or by our own imagination, the brain activates a defense system known as the “freeze, fight, or flight” response. This mechanism is essential for our survival, as it prepares the body to either fight or flee from an imminent danger.

In short, I can say that the brain, particularly the amygdala, which is responsible for processing emotions and detecting threats, goes into action. It sends warning signals to other areas of the brain, such as the hypothalamus and the prefrontal cortex, which coordinate the release of stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones prepare the body for immediate action, increasing heart rate, elevating blood pressure, dilating the pupils, and redirecting energy to the muscles.

However, when this alert response is triggered constantly—as happens with people facing chronic anxiety—the body and mind begin to enter a state of “overload.” The brain, constantly on alert, loses its ability to slow down, and the autonomic nervous system (responsible for the body’s automatic functions) becomes unbalanced. This can result in symptoms such as insomnia, muscle tension, digestive issues, and, of course, a constant feeling of apprehension.

How This Affects the Body? Continuous stress and chronic anxiety not only affect the mind but also harm physical health. The immune system can weaken, the risk of cardiovascular diseases increases, and digestion and sleep become compromised. That’s why learning to control anxiety is not just a matter of mental peace, but also of physical health.

The Vicious Cycle of Thoughts

The explanation of the vicious cycle is excellent, but it’s important to emphasize the difficulty of interrupting this cycle—something that many people face daily. Imagine you’re dealing with a financial problem that seems unsolvable or with constant doubt about past decisions, wondering if you should have taken a different path in your career. The mind becomes fixated on these thoughts, and the more we try to avoid or control them, the stronger they become. This is a clear example of how the cycle becomes self-sustaining, creating the feeling of having no control over your own thoughts.

When you begin to ruminate, the brain fixates on a specific thought or situation, repeating it incessantly without actually seeking solutions. This process is highly draining, as the mind becomes like a scratched record, stuck in an endless loop. Additionally, rumination intensifies anxiety, making the person feel out of control, as though they cannot escape their own thoughts.

The cycle can start simply, like thinking about a presentation at work. As you review the details in your mind, you start anticipating failure, imagining all the possible ways you could make a mistake. Over time, these thoughts intensify and feed the fear, creating a cycle of worry that never resolves itself.

How do we interrupt this cycle? The key to breaking this loop lies in cognitive restructuring techniques. One of these techniques involves challenging irrational thoughts, which we will discuss here, namely Metacognitive Therapy.

The Impact of Worries on Mental Health

Worries and recurring thoughts are part of the human experience. However, when these thoughts begin to dominate our minds and interfere with daily activities, they can become true obstacles. Professor Juan Ramos Cejudo from the Camilo José Cela University highlights that the key to maintaining good mental health lies in questioning the very nature of our thoughts. After all, not everything the brain tells us is real—it often makes mistakes when processing reality.

Excessive worry, which is one of the pillars of anxiety, can be seen as a form of metacognition: the act of thinking about one’s thinking. When we worry about something, we are not only dealing with the content of the thought itself but also with how we react to it. In other words, the impact of our worries is not only in what we are fearing but in how those worries amplify and become unfounded due to the way we handle them—a negative metacognition.

For example, imagine you have an important presentation at work. Initially, it’s natural to worry about the quality of your speech or the impact it may have on your career. However, when that worry becomes excessive, you start to ruminate: “What if I forget what I’m going to say? What if others think my idea is bad? What if I miss the opportunity to grow professionally?” Over time, these worries intensify, creating the feeling that the situation is much more challenging than it actually is. This “snowball” of thoughts makes the brain focus on possible risks and failures, even when reality doesn’t confirm those worries. As a result, anxiety grows, and performance in the presentation may be compromised.

Research indicates that rumination (repeatedly thinking about a problem with no solution) and excessive worry are the main factors that fuel anxiety and depression. Interestingly, most of our worries never materialize. A study from Pennsylvania State University found that 91% of the worries from a group of patients never came to fruition. Still, our brain tends to focus on the 9% of possibilities that might happen, creating the feeling that the problems are more serious than they really are.

Additionally, it’s important to highlight the close relationship between rumination and other mental health-related diseases, such as burnout. Many people, especially in today’s high-pressure work environment, may find themselves trapped in a cycle of constant worry, leading to mental overload and fueling burnout.

Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by chronic stress, and excessive rumination is one of the main catalysts of this condition. Imagine a professional constantly worried about tight deadlines and the quality of their work. They begin to ruminate on what could go wrong with each task, and this thought intensifies with every new demand. By doing so, they are actually contributing to their mental exhaustion, as the brain never has the chance to “shut down” or recover its energy.

Research on burnout shows that it is increasingly present in the corporate environment, with around 50% of workers reporting symptoms of emotional exhaustion. Rumination not only aggravates anxiety, but it is also one of the main factors contributing to burnout, as it prevents the mind and body from regaining the balance necessary to cope with daily demands.

Therefore, by learning to interrupt the vicious cycle of rumination, you are not only dealing with anxiety but also preserving your long-term mental and physical health.

Metacognitive Therapy: What Is It?

Metacognitive Therapy (MCT) is a psychological approach that differs from traditional therapies, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. While Cognitive Behavioral Therapy focuses on the content of thoughts — helping patients challenge or modify what they think — MCT focuses on how those thoughts are processed and evaluated. Instead of directly correcting the thoughts themselves, MCT seeks to restructure how we deal with them, that is, how we evaluate and react to those thoughts.

Developed by Adrian Wells, Metacognitive Therapy aims to interrupt the vicious cycle of excessive thinking. Rather than directly modifying the content of thoughts, MCT works to alter the metacognitive processes that perpetuate worry and rumination. The focus is on teaching patients to monitor their thoughts, distance themselves from them, and change how they respond to concerns — without getting lost in endless cycles of unproductive thinking.

Wells (2009) proposes that excessive worry and rumination are not merely automatic reactions to stressful events, but often an inadequate coping strategy. When we worry, we tend to believe that it helps us prepare for future situations and avoid the worst. However, this strategy ends up being counterproductive, amplifying the feeling of loss of control and consequently increasing anxiety.

Psychologist Jesús Matos observes that patients with generalized anxiety often exhibit a reasoning style that leads them to ruminate over everyday situations. For example, a person might worry about an exam, but instead of simply dealing with this concern, they begin to worry about always feeling anxious before exams, fearing that this will harm their mental health. This kind of thinking generates a cycle of “worry about the worry,” which only intensifies anxiety.

For example, imagine a management professional about to present an important project to the company’s board of directors. They begin to worry about the content of the presentation, but soon this worry evolves into concerns that go beyond the presentation itself: “What if I forget important points? What if my voice cracks? What if the team disagrees with my ideas? What if this affects my promotion?” At this point, what started as a legitimate concern about work transforms into a rumination spiral that becomes unproductive, shifting focus and creating an anxiety cycle.

This is where Metacognitive Therapy comes in: instead of trying to correct each thought individually (as cognitive-behavioral therapy would do), MCT helps this professional understand how they are reacting to the thought and how to distance themselves from these concerns. MCT teaches them to distinguish between a useful thought (which could improve the presentation) and an unproductive thought (which only generates more anxiety without providing a solution). Thus, the focus is not on the content of the thought but on how it is processed and how it can be managed in a healthier way.

Detached Mindfulness

One of the fundamental techniques of Metacognitive Therapy (MCT) is Detached Mindfulness, which involves observing intrusive thoughts that arise in our minds without judging them or trying to fight them. Instead of directly engaging with these concerns, the goal is to learn to postpone them and allow them to dissipate naturally. Psychologist Matos proposes an exercise in which the person learns to “postpone” their worries for a period of 15 minutes at a pre-determined time, instead of reacting to them immediately. This process helps break the idea that worry is uncontrollable or harmful, allowing for a healthier relationship with one’s own thoughts.

In the context of MCT, mindfulness plays a central role. It is used to help patients recognize when they are being overwhelmed by worrying thoughts and to redirect their attention to something more productive and focused. In this way, the technique aims to increase awareness and mental self-regulation, rather than allowing thoughts to drag on and occupy all attention.

For example, imagine a project manager facing significant pressure to deliver an important project within a tight deadline. They begin to excessively worry about potential project failures, client reactions, and the consequences of not meeting goals. These thoughts keep surfacing, and instead of focusing on practical solutions, they become consumed by them, resulting in more anxiety and less productivity.

By applying Detached Mindfulness, this manager could “postpone” these concerns. They might set aside a specific time, say 15 minutes during the day, to think about the project issues. During this time, they can reflect on solutions, but after the period ends, they commit to “letting go” of these thoughts and focus on concrete actions, without ruminating about what might go wrong. This technique helps interrupt the vicious cycle of anxiety, allowing them to regain control of the situation more rationally and focused.

In addition, MCT focuses on three key components that together provide a more effective way to manage anxiety and worry:

1. Metacognitive monitoring: The first step is becoming aware of how thoughts are being processed and recognizing worry patterns. This constant monitoring helps identify when the mind begins to drift from reality and fall into the trap of rumination.
2. Metacognitive control: After becoming aware, the focus is on modifying how we deal with these thoughts. This includes avoiding ineffective coping strategies, such as rumination, and redirecting attention to something more productive.
3. Metacognitive change: Finally, metacognitive change involves altering the relationship with one’s thoughts. This means learning to treat them in a more detached manner, without reacting, allowing for greater cognitive flexibility.

Scientific research shows that MCT can be highly effective in treating anxiety disorders. Study after study, the approach has shown impressive success rates, with results reaching up to 80% in patients diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder.

Applying the 10-10-10 Rule: A Metacognitive Exercise for More Balanced Decisions

Another key technique in Metacognitive Therapy (MCT) is applying the 10-10-10 rule, a simple yet powerful exercise that helps maintain perspective during times of worry or decision-making.

The 10-10-10 rule is an effective way to apply time distancing, inviting the person to project the consequences of their decisions or concerns over different timeframes (10 minutes, 10 months, and 10 years). This helps to realize that often what seems like an urgent worry at the moment may not be as important in the future, aligning with the central focus of MCT: observing thoughts in a non-reactive way without becoming overly involved with them.

When you face a decision or concern causing anxiety, ask yourself:
1. How will I feel about this decision or concern in 10 minutes?
2. How will I feel about it in 10 months?
3. And in 10 years?

This exercise allows you to distance yourself from immediacy and view the situation from a broader perspective, helping to reduce the emotional impact of the worry. Often, issues that seem urgent at the moment do not have as much of an effect in the long term, and reflecting on this time helps to dissipate anxiety.

For example, imagine you are in an important meeting and begin to worry about a presentation you need to give. By applying the 10-10-10 rule, you may realize that in 10 minutes, the anxiety will have already decreased, in 10 months you will probably not remember this moment, and in 10 years, the impact of this presentation will be practically irrelevant to your career. This distancing can help you relax and focus better on the task, without getting lost in worries.

This exercise is an excellent way to cultivate detachment from your thoughts, allowing you to engage with situations more rationally and less emotionally.

Attention and Thought Control Exercises

In addition to therapy sessions and the exercises already presented, there are practices that can be done autonomously to reinforce the ability not to be dominated by thoughts. Psychologist Pi Callesen, from the University of Manchester, suggests the practice of selective attention exercises, such as the “sound exercise.” In this exercise, patients are invited to focus attention on different environmental sounds for short intervals, quickly switching from one sound to another. This practice helps train the mind to switch between focusing and letting go of attention consciously, promoting greater mental flexibility.

Another interesting exercise is the “window exercise,” which involves writing anxiety-triggering thoughts on a glass or clean surface. Then, the patient is instructed to look at what is outside the window without focusing on the written thoughts. This exercise helps to realize that, although negative thoughts may persist, they have no power over external reality. The practice of observing thoughts without getting involved with them trains the ability to detach and distance oneself.

For example, imagine you have a very important job interview in the morning and begin to worry about how the conversation will go, whether you will know how to answer all the questions, and whether you will make a good impression. These thoughts begin to grow, and you feel the anxiety increasing. At this moment, you can apply the window exercise. First, write your concerns on a piece of paper or even on the window glass, such as: “What if I can’t answer a question?” “What if they don’t like me?” “What if I don’t have enough experience?” Then, look out the window or at the environment around you and observe what is happening around you, like the movement on the street or distant sounds. This helps to realize that, although the worries are there, they are not the only reality. The world continues around you, and these worries can be set aside, allowing you to focus on the present moment.

Although MCT is a structured therapy carried out with a qualified professional, I want to emphasize here what we have already discussed. After all, as you should have learned, there are some practical strategies that can be incorporated into everyday life to interrupt the cycle of excessive thoughts:

1. Mindfulness in the Present – Instead of getting lost in worries about the future, practice being fully present in the moment, observing your experiences without judging them.
2. Delay the Worry – Schedule “worry time,” allowing you to postpone rumination to a specific time in the future without letting it dominate your mind throughout the day.
3. Restructure Your Relationship with Thoughts – Remember that thoughts do not define reality. Just because you are thinking about something does not mean it will necessarily happen.

Studies and Results of Metacognitive Therapy

The effectiveness of Metacognitive Therapy (MCT) has been widely proven in scientific studies, especially in the treatment of anxiety disorders. A study published in Psychiatry Research reveals that the prevalence of anxiety disorders increased dramatically from 3.6% to 15.5% of the global population during the pandemic. This global increase demonstrates the growing impact of anxiety on mental health, making the search for effective emotional management techniques even more urgent.

MCT emerges as a response to this demand, with promising results. Experts point out that metacognitive therapy can achieve a success rate of up to 80% in treating generalized anxiety disorders – a rate significantly higher than other traditional approaches, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), which has an effectiveness rate of about 50% for this type of disorder.

Furthermore, MCT stands out for being a relatively quick approach. With a reduced number of sessions (typically between 8 and 12), patients learn to monitor and manage their thought processes, resulting in a significant reduction in anxiety symptoms. By focusing on the “how” of dealing with our thoughts, rather than simply changing the content of those thoughts, MCT provides patients with a real sense of control over their minds and emotions, leading to sustainable changes over time.

When to Seek Professional Help?

It is important to understand that, while worries are natural, they can become a psychological disorder when they start to negatively affect daily behavior. If excessive worry is interfering with daily activities, leading to avoidance behaviors, insomnia, difficulties at work, or constant distress, it may be time to seek professional help.

For example, imagine you are worried about making a mistake during a presentation at work. It is normal to feel some apprehension before speaking in public, but if this worry turns into constant anxiety, affecting your ability to sleep or even perform daily tasks, it may indicate that the worry has stopped being a natural reaction and has become a disorder. In such cases, metacognitive therapies (MCT) and other psychological treatments can be essential for restoring emotional balance and helping to regain control over the mind.

The line between normal worry and anxiety disorder can be thin. However, with the right support, it is possible to learn how to manage thoughts in a healthier and more effective way, helping to prevent the disorder from negatively impacting your personal and professional life.

Finally,

The cognitive technique of metacognitive therapy offers a promising solution for those suffering from excessive worry and anxiety. By learning to deal with thought processes instead of focusing solely on the content of thoughts, it is possible to reduce anxiety and regain control over the mind. While it is not an immediate solution, it can provide significant relief in a short period of time, helping individuals improve their quality of life and mental health.

If you are struggling with anxiety and recurring thoughts, reflect: how could your life be different if you had control over your thoughts and worries? Seeking help from a specialized therapist may be the first step to guide you on the path to self-understanding, emotional detachment, and lasting well-being.

Now that you understand the mechanisms fueling anxiety and the vicious cycle of thoughts, I ask you: how can you start practicing a shift in perspective today? The first step is to identify and challenge your own thought patterns.

References:

1. Wells, A. (1995). Meta-cognition and worry: A cognitive model of generalized anxiety disorder. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 104(3), 218–228.
2. Matos, J., & Ramos Cejudo, J. (2021). A Terapia Metacognitiva no Tratamento da Ansiedade. Instituto de Estudos Psicológicos.
3. Global Burden of Disease Study. (2020). Prevalence of Anxiety Disorders Worldwide. University of Washington.
4. Callesen, P. (2019). Viva Mais, Pense Menos: Como Superar a Depressão e a Tristeza com Terapia Metacognitiva.

You can read the excellent article “The Cognitive Technique that Helps Not to Overthink Problems” by Jesús Moreno, published in BBC News at:

https://www.bbc.com/portuguese/geral-57790508

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