Overthinking doesn’t just happen in the mind, it affects the whole body.
Below are some of the potential mental and physical symptoms.

Mental Symptoms

• Mental looping / repetitive thoughts
  Replaying conversations, imagining worst-case scenarios.

• Difficulty making decisions
  Indecisiveness, second-guessing, needing reassurance.

• Worry about the future
  Persistent “what if” thinking.

• Regret or rumination on the past
  Obsessing over what you should’ve done or said.

• Inner critic chatter
  Perfectionism and harsh self-talk.

• Racing thoughts at night
  Difficulty falling asleep or waking with a busy mind.

• Mental fatigue or brain fog
  Feeling mentally drained despite rest.

• Obsessive need to figure things out
  Mentally circling problems or trying to control outcomes.

• Trouble staying present
  Difficulty fully engaging with the now.

• Hypersensitivity to feedback
  Overanalysing others’ words, expressions, or opinions.

• Emotional detachment or numbness
  Thinking replaces feeling, a sense of being disconnected.

Physical Symptoms

• Tension headaches/jaw clenching
  Often around the temples or TMJ.

• Neck and shoulder tightness
  Subtle, chronic muscle tension.

• Fatigue or low energy
  Mental stress leading to exhaustion.
  
  Bloating, nausea, IBS, mind-gut connection.

• Shallow breathing/chest tightness
  Often linked to low-grade anxiety.

• Restlessness/fidgeting
  Leg bouncing, nail biting, skin picking, etc.

• Insomnia
  Sleep is being disrupted by racing thoughts.

• Hormonal imbalance symptoms
  Cortisol-related: acne, disrupted cycles, etc.

• Weakened immunity
  More colds, slower healing.

• Rapid heart rate or palpitations
  Stress response to constant mental stimulation.