Rebel Against Overthinking: A 4-Step Reset for Your Brain

Because your brain doesn’t always deserve the mic 🎤

If ADHD overthinking has your brain in a doom-loop spiral, you’re not alone…

Sometimes, my thoughts never stop.
I’ll be folding laundry, replaying a conversation from three days ago while also planning next week’s meals, catastrophizing an email I hadn’t sent, and mentally rewriting my entire life.

Sound familiar?

That chaos spiral can be my normal if I don’t check myself. In the moment, I think it has to be — that if I’m not thinking everything through, I’ll forget something important or make the wrong choice. But here’s what I’ve learned:

Just because your brain is loud doesn’t mean it’s telling the truth.
Sometimes, it’s just trying to protect you. And sometimes, that protection is overkill.

Especially for those of us with ADHD and/or PTSD, spirals can hit without warning. Your brain goes from quiet to Category 5 hurricane in seconds.
And sometimes? You don’t even get the luxury of overthinking — your system just shuts down. You freeze. You dissociate. You go numb.

So let me say this loud and clear:

If you’re not your “idealized self” right now — the one with the color-coded planner and perfectly balanced mood — you are still worthy.
You are not behind. You are adapting to you reality.

The Shift: From ADHD Overthinking to Observing

I didn’t have some grand epiphany. I just got tired.

Tired of arguing with myself. Tired of chasing the “right” thought. Tired of mistaking noise for awareness.
Tired of the ADHD overthinking loop. So one day, I tried something different. I stopped engaging with every thought.

When a mental spiral started, I didn’t follow it. I didn’t shame it either. I just… let it pass. I returned my attention to whatever I was doing — even if that was brushing my teeth or tying my shoes.
And somehow, that shift changed everything.

It wasn’t dissociation. It wasn’t avoidance. It was presence without pressure.
It was neutrality. And it felt like peace.

Rebel Against the Spiral: A 4-Step Mental Reset

This isn’t just mindfulness. This is a rebellion — against the chaos in your head.
Your brain doesn’t always get the final say. You do. So when the spiral starts, take your power back.

Here’s how:

1. Interrupt the ADHD Overthinking Loop
   • “Ah. I’m spiraling.”
     No shame. No fixing. Just awareness.
     Step one in any rebellion? Catch the system in the act.
     
2. Call It What It Is
   • “I don’t need to think about this right now…”
     “Maybe not ever.”
     You’re not being reckless — you’re reclaiming peace.
     
3. Drop It or Destroy It
   • Let the thought fall like a cigarette you’re done with.
     Or swing a mental baseball bat and knock it out of the ball park.
     Or just let it fizzle out.
     You don’t need a better thought. You just need space.
     
4. Shift Your Senses & Flip the Script
   • Look around for:
     🔸 5 things that are purple
     🔹 4 things that are green
     🟡 3 things that are yellow
     🔺 2 things that are blue
     ⚫ 1 thing that’s black
     Then ask:
     “How might it feel to do the next thing without thinking it to death?”

Let curiosity replace dread.
Let neutrality replace noise.
Let you replace the voice in your head.

Based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
(Source: Hayes, S. C. et al., 1999. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Guilford Press.)

This Isn’t Escapism — It’s Self-Trust

That step-by-step rebellion? That’s not you avoiding life.
That’s you taking it back. You’re not “checking out” — you’re checking in, without the chatter.

When you live from instinct — not panic, not performance — you move differently.
You stop bracing for every moment, and start living it.

Movement Helped Me Get There

A big part of how I stabilized this new mindset away from ADHD overthinking? Exercise.

Not punishment. Not aesthetics. Just pure, focused movement.
It gave my brain one clear task: just move. No chaos. No spiral. Just breath and effort and done.

And the kicker? I walk into the gym with a plan.
ADHD brains love a map. I give myself one so I can stop thinking — and start doing.

(More on that in this blog post — where I break down the exact ADHD-friendly workout routine that helps calm my mind and build momentum.)

Final Thoughts: You Don’t Have to Fight to Be Free

This mindset shift isn’t about perfection. It’s about liberation.

• From spirals that don’t serve you.
• From the pressure to always “figure it out.”
• From the belief that overthinking = responsibility.

You’re allowed to live in the moment without dissecting every detail.
You’re allowed to feel peace without earning it.
You’re allowed to just be.

Sometimes the most rebellious thing you can do is nothing at all.

disclaimer: This post is for educational and informational purposes only. It’s based on research, real-world insights, and lived experience with ADHD overthinking + inattentive adhd & PTSD — but I’m not a licensed mental health professional. Nothing here should be considered medical or mental health advice. Always consult with a qualified provider who knows your individual history before making changes to your routine, treatment, or wellness practices. For more information, check out my web policies.

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