4 Words to Quickly Stop Your Child’s Overthinking

You’re a caring, devoted parent, and you’ve likely discovered how challenging it is ⁣when your child gets stuck in those “what if” ⁢loops. ⁣Surprisingly, your logical explanations and reassurances frequently enough increase their anxiety.

What Actually Is Overthinking?

Overthinking, often called rumination, is when kids get⁢ trapped in repetitive, unproductive thought ⁣loops fueled by anxiety. Rumination usually focuses ⁤on the past,but overthinking covers both past and future worries.

This means kids might get stuck choosing a test answer,struggling to talk to someone,or debating joining an activity. These worry ‍storms feel distressing, but they’re a normal part of a child or teen’s reasonable thinking⁢ about everyday situations.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is different. OCD involves intrusive, upsetting ⁣thoughts that require a different approach, typically exposure ⁢and response prevention therapy.

PACE to the Rescue

From ⁤my work with overthinking children and teens, I use a four-word acronym with parents to he