How to Stop Overthinking is the first type of self-help book I have read, and I was pleasantly surprised by the practical advice offered and the easy to read format of the book. This is also the first book I have read on an iPad and I really enjoyed the experience of reading something digitally, especially as this book had pictures and links to different websites which were easy to access from an online device. It was also free to read on the Kindle App and so I’m looking forward to seeing what other similar books are out there.
From the start, this book discussed identifying your enemy and reasons for overthinking. It focuses largely on getting to the root of your issues and tackling them so you can overcome the anxieties or negative feelings that come with overthinking. I appreciate how this book identifies the vicious cycle that overthinking causes such as over analysing things, fear of failing or fear of the unknown, lack of control, etc. As a result, your body and mind become fatigued meaning you struggle to be present even if you are enjoying yourself at that moment in time. To overcome this, you need to have patience, drive, motivation, and resilience. What I particularly like about this book is its honesty; it does not falsely tell you that overthinking will disappear overnight, but that with small, incremental changes, this will improve.
A strength of this book is its clear distinction between what are common overthinking behaviours and what can be classed as a disorder. This is an important aspect to cover as overthinking can lead to other disorders, such as depression and anxiety. However, the book shows the difference between feeling sad and depressed or feeling worried versus being anxious. For me, this made me feel less alone in my thoughts and have the awareness of what behaviours or thoughts could be more concerning. These discussions are also supported by biological explanations, such as the relationship between the brain and serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine and how they all affect us. By using science to describe these responses it made me understand it further, whilst also adding validation to any thoughts or feelings I may have had.
One piece of practical advice I found helpful was setting a ‘worry time’ for yourself. This is a technique to help overthinking by giving yourself a dedicated time slot, no longer than an hour, to deal with these thoughts so they do not consume your every day. This means you do not ignore these thoughts or try and block them out but acknowledge them at a time that works for you. As long as this time is not right before you are going to sleep or directly before a big occasion, this helps to tackle any underlying issues straight on. I found a lot of the advice in the book to be approachable, often using informal language to make the book accessible and easy to understand. As a result, I did not find the book patronising which is a real bonus for a self-help book.
Music is one of the best healers out there
How to Stop Overthinking., p66
How to Stop Overthinking also looks at 7 steps on how to remove toxicity in your life. This involves analysing your situation, replacing negative things with positive things, finding your purpose, finding your passion and desire, rewarding yourself, being okay with mistakes and getting professional help if you find it necessary. The book also explores procrastination and how to overcome this too. I found this particularly useful as I have been working from home since January 2021 and as a result, I have found it so easy to become distracted as my personal space and workspace have become one. This book gives practical advice in this regard also on how to focus on the most important tasks. I also resonated with statements such as the quote above as I personally listen to music or podcasts all the time for times when I need to concentrate or to distract myself.
Overall, How to Stop Overthinking is a positive addition to the self-help genre. Whilst I did not find any of the advice revolutionary it did give me clarity on some things surrounding overthinking and made me feel less alone with these types of thoughts and feelings. I do feel like the authors of this book genuinely want to help people as there are many links to other resources and book recommendations throughout to give the reader as much useful information as possible. It’s an easy book to dip in and out off and as I read this digitally, it was handy to read on the go too.
4/5 stars
Soph's Library 
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