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The Overthinking Cure: How to free your mind and focus on what really matters
Do you get caught up in anxious thoughts?
Do you play over your mistakes and failures in your mind?
Do you lie awake at night because you can't stop thinking about what happened earlier that day?
If so, you're suffering from overthinking.
But you are not alone.
Thinking about your life is a normal part of being human; it's often helpful to analyze a situation or revisit a problem in your mind, but if you find yourself constantly dwelling on your thoughts - with so sign of resolution - then it becomes a problem.
Overthinking is the problem that disguises itself as the solution.
In this life-changing book, trusted psychologist Dr Jessamy Hibberd shows how to break free from overthinking. Through expert advice, and real-life examples from her clinic, you will become more aware of your overthinking habits - and learn why we get stuck in unhelps thinking patterns. Dr Jessamy offers personalized prompts and practical tips to identify your doom spirals to help you to find healthier coping strategies that redirect your analytical thinking.
The cure is break the cycle of overthinking.
In this book, you will learn how
- Notice your thoughts
- Choose your response
- Challenge your thinking
- Accept the reality of how life is
- Face your fears
The Overthinking Cure is the essential guide to break free from overthinking - so you can life a better life and focus on what really matters.
Do you play over your mistakes and failures in your mind?
Do you lie awake at night because you can't stop thinking about what happened earlier that day?
If so, you're suffering from overthinking.
But you are not alone.
Thinking about your life is a normal part of being human; it's often helpful to analyze a situation or revisit a problem in your mind, but if you find yourself constantly dwelling on your thoughts - with so sign of resolution - then it becomes a problem.
Overthinking is the problem that disguises itself as the solution.
In this life-changing book, trusted psychologist Dr Jessamy Hibberd shows how to break free from overthinking. Through expert advice, and real-life examples from her clinic, you will become more aware of your overthinking habits - and learn why we get stuck in unhelps thinking patterns. Dr Jessamy offers personalized prompts and practical tips to identify your doom spirals to help you to find healthier coping strategies that redirect your analytical thinking.
The cure is break the cycle of overthinking.
In this book, you will learn how
- Notice your thoughts
- Choose your response
- Challenge your thinking
- Accept the reality of how life is
- Face your fears
The Overthinking Cure is the essential guide to break free from overthinking - so you can life a better life and focus on what really matters.
272 pages, Paperback
Published March 10, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
July 15, 2026
I found this book to be incredibly refreshing and applicable — in fact, I have already put into practice many of the ‘solutions’ found in part three of the book and have found them to be beneficial in reducing my overthinking.
The only negative is that while reading this book, I found it easier to overthink—because I was thinking about my overthinking!
A few major takeaways:
1. “Overthinking is triggered when the brain alerts us to a ‘goal discrepancy’ in our lives” (19). In other words, we think we should be happier, we think we should worry less, we think we should be better at our jobs, we think we should know the future—but since we don’t measure up to our impossible expectations, we overthink. Overthinking is described as a faulty coping mechanism designed to ‘protect’ us from discomfort by convincing us to avoid something, create a false sense of control, or ‘prepare’ us for threats. The issue being of course that overthinking is never helpful and reduces our executive functioning and planning abilities.
2. Our brain is designed to have a very narrow spotlight of attention. When we are in a good mood, we cannot believe there was ever anything bad in our lives… and conversely, when we are in a bad mood, we can only ever focus on the negative. “Our mood manipulates what we see” (58). Dr. Hibberd analogizes our emotions to being in two rooms—a positive and negative room. When we are in the positive or negative room, we slam the door on the other room and refuse to accept that the other exists. Dr. Hibberd suggests a much less black and white approach. It might be odd to say we should remember our ‘negative’ room exists when we are in the positive mood, but it helps us to mentally ready ourselves when negative moods arise, recognizing that all of life is a fluctuation between the two rooms. To be human is to move between the two.
3. Dr. Hibberd presents seven different thinking traps. I find myself to fall mostly into that of the Dweller and the Wobbler. Dr. Hibberd provides responses to each one of the seven overthinking traps in part three of the book. While many of the ‘solutions’ were connected to each specific ‘thinking trap’, I found many different solutions from many different traps to be helpful. For example… Challenging black and white thinking by filling in the missing middle (193). Challenging if your worrying will really matter in a week, a month, a year, five years, ten years (195). Challenging the false belief that overthinking helps you problem-solve. Dr. Hibberd writes, “Do you actually solve your problems by overthinking, or are you just going over the problem again and again in your head? Do you become so anxious that you delay solving your problems or avoid them altogether? Are you confusing a thought (worry) with an action (problem solving)? Is your rule about worry ‘worry=good outcome / don’t worry=bad outcome’ based on real evidence?” (196-97).
4. Most practical: Externalize your thoughts and feelings by writing them down (203). Write down what you are grateful for every night (209). Get outside for walks (178). No screens an hour before bed. Do a hobby to distract you from overthinking (178). Practice meditation or mindfulness (174). Ask yourself, “Is thinking about this worth my time and energy?” (191). Stop asking yourself if you’re living your best life — the people who worry more about their happiness are often less happy (226). Make a choice and focus on making the choice work and persisting in that choice if you are stuck in the “wobbler” thinking trap (230). We often find it hard to show compassion to ourselves, so create a compassionate image for yourself that you can come back to when things get difficult—someone with infinite wisdom and compassion who understands you… what would they say? (279).
I’ve been bitten by the perfectionism bug. The issue with perfectionism is that it actually reduces our capacity. Oftentimes, we are so afraid of failure that we avoid what we need or want to do but keep up the belief that if we did do it, it would be perfect. Dr. Hibberd writes, “In a warped way, [avoidance] can maintain the belief that you could have been brilliant if you’d tried: ‘I did badly because I didn’t study,’ ‘I could have done better, but I didn’t train,’ or ‘I had a brilliant idea, but I never got round to doing anything about it…’” (231). I can certainly relate to this sort of thinking, and I’m sure others can as well. Instead of doing something and potentially failing, I want to keep up the idea that I am some one-of-a-kind individual, but I just haven’t done everything necessary to show that off to everyone. But I do this because I’m worried that if I do put the work in, I might not be as brilliant as I think I am. Well, which is better, to do everything I’ve wanted to do even at an average level and forget about perfectionism or spend my whole life thinking I’m one-of-a-kind but never do anything worthwhile? After externalizing these thoughts, the answer is obvious.
There is one other point I’d love to mention that is not really brought up in the book. In our modern world, despite what we say, I honestly think that we want to keep overthinking. We say we want peace in our life, but we actively resist those things that bring peace. Peace is not the equivalent of having fun—according to Ayya Khema living a peaceful life oftentimes looks boring. We must ask ourselves what we really want. Most times we want more money, a better job, a better partner, better friends, better circumstances—and because of that we are busier, more stressed, and more prone to overthinking. But what do we really want out of life? I believe overthinking is more than just a thought pattern that crops up from time to time, but a philosophy which we have accepted as true. As for me, I want to resist the philosophy which drives me to overthink, and I believe this book is a good start on that path.
The only negative is that while reading this book, I found it easier to overthink—because I was thinking about my overthinking!
A few major takeaways:
1. “Overthinking is triggered when the brain alerts us to a ‘goal discrepancy’ in our lives” (19). In other words, we think we should be happier, we think we should worry less, we think we should be better at our jobs, we think we should know the future—but since we don’t measure up to our impossible expectations, we overthink. Overthinking is described as a faulty coping mechanism designed to ‘protect’ us from discomfort by convincing us to avoid something, create a false sense of control, or ‘prepare’ us for threats. The issue being of course that overthinking is never helpful and reduces our executive functioning and planning abilities.
2. Our brain is designed to have a very narrow spotlight of attention. When we are in a good mood, we cannot believe there was ever anything bad in our lives… and conversely, when we are in a bad mood, we can only ever focus on the negative. “Our mood manipulates what we see” (58). Dr. Hibberd analogizes our emotions to being in two rooms—a positive and negative room. When we are in the positive or negative room, we slam the door on the other room and refuse to accept that the other exists. Dr. Hibberd suggests a much less black and white approach. It might be odd to say we should remember our ‘negative’ room exists when we are in the positive mood, but it helps us to mentally ready ourselves when negative moods arise, recognizing that all of life is a fluctuation between the two rooms. To be human is to move between the two.
3. Dr. Hibberd presents seven different thinking traps. I find myself to fall mostly into that of the Dweller and the Wobbler. Dr. Hibberd provides responses to each one of the seven overthinking traps in part three of the book. While many of the ‘solutions’ were connected to each specific ‘thinking trap’, I found many different solutions from many different traps to be helpful. For example… Challenging black and white thinking by filling in the missing middle (193). Challenging if your worrying will really matter in a week, a month, a year, five years, ten years (195). Challenging the false belief that overthinking helps you problem-solve. Dr. Hibberd writes, “Do you actually solve your problems by overthinking, or are you just going over the problem again and again in your head? Do you become so anxious that you delay solving your problems or avoid them altogether? Are you confusing a thought (worry) with an action (problem solving)? Is your rule about worry ‘worry=good outcome / don’t worry=bad outcome’ based on real evidence?” (196-97).
4. Most practical: Externalize your thoughts and feelings by writing them down (203). Write down what you are grateful for every night (209). Get outside for walks (178). No screens an hour before bed. Do a hobby to distract you from overthinking (178). Practice meditation or mindfulness (174). Ask yourself, “Is thinking about this worth my time and energy?” (191). Stop asking yourself if you’re living your best life — the people who worry more about their happiness are often less happy (226). Make a choice and focus on making the choice work and persisting in that choice if you are stuck in the “wobbler” thinking trap (230). We often find it hard to show compassion to ourselves, so create a compassionate image for yourself that you can come back to when things get difficult—someone with infinite wisdom and compassion who understands you… what would they say? (279).
I’ve been bitten by the perfectionism bug. The issue with perfectionism is that it actually reduces our capacity. Oftentimes, we are so afraid of failure that we avoid what we need or want to do but keep up the belief that if we did do it, it would be perfect. Dr. Hibberd writes, “In a warped way, [avoidance] can maintain the belief that you could have been brilliant if you’d tried: ‘I did badly because I didn’t study,’ ‘I could have done better, but I didn’t train,’ or ‘I had a brilliant idea, but I never got round to doing anything about it…’” (231). I can certainly relate to this sort of thinking, and I’m sure others can as well. Instead of doing something and potentially failing, I want to keep up the idea that I am some one-of-a-kind individual, but I just haven’t done everything necessary to show that off to everyone. But I do this because I’m worried that if I do put the work in, I might not be as brilliant as I think I am. Well, which is better, to do everything I’ve wanted to do even at an average level and forget about perfectionism or spend my whole life thinking I’m one-of-a-kind but never do anything worthwhile? After externalizing these thoughts, the answer is obvious.
There is one other point I’d love to mention that is not really brought up in the book. In our modern world, despite what we say, I honestly think that we want to keep overthinking. We say we want peace in our life, but we actively resist those things that bring peace. Peace is not the equivalent of having fun—according to Ayya Khema living a peaceful life oftentimes looks boring. We must ask ourselves what we really want. Most times we want more money, a better job, a better partner, better friends, better circumstances—and because of that we are busier, more stressed, and more prone to overthinking. But what do we really want out of life? I believe overthinking is more than just a thought pattern that crops up from time to time, but a philosophy which we have accepted as true. As for me, I want to resist the philosophy which drives me to overthink, and I believe this book is a good start on that path.
February 11, 2026
I took my time with this one and actually took some things from the book and put them into practice. I myself am quite well versed in the world of therapy and for me I found this book actually quite useful compared to some other versions of therapy I’ve experienced. This one in particular really does make you reflect and kind of switches the thought process and challenge your thinking a little bit. Especially in the self criticism and unfair comparing department.
There’s plenty of tips, tricks and exercises in the book that can really help you improve your self awareness and thought process skills, I tried and tested all of them and there’s definitely a couple I’ll be using consistently from now on.
There’s plenty of tips, tricks and exercises in the book that can really help you improve your self awareness and thought process skills, I tried and tested all of them and there’s definitely a couple I’ll be using consistently from now on.
March 13, 2026
Gosh! Some book!
This is the best book I’ve read on overthinking. What I like about Dr Jessamy’s book is she sets out what she aims to do very clearly. This includes explaining why we get stuck overthinking, spelling out the disadvantages and most importantly how to get our thinking under control. The five steps are easy to follow and really work. Right at the beginning of the book I really identified with the Buddhist parable of the second arrow. If you don’t know this then you must read the book! An excellent self-help book.
This is the best book I’ve read on overthinking. What I like about Dr Jessamy’s book is she sets out what she aims to do very clearly. This includes explaining why we get stuck overthinking, spelling out the disadvantages and most importantly how to get our thinking under control. The five steps are easy to follow and really work. Right at the beginning of the book I really identified with the Buddhist parable of the second arrow. If you don’t know this then you must read the book! An excellent self-help book.
March 27, 2026
I am an Olympic-level overthinker and have recently been diagnosed with OCD and CPTSD so ANYTHING that might help stop the spiral is worth checking out, if ever there was a self-help book that screamed ‘me’ it’s this one! 😂
From the off, this book makes it clear that overthinking is not a personal failing, but a learned habit, often rooted in anxiety, perfectionism, or past experiences, that can be understood and softened with the right tools. If you’re already familiar with CBT based techniques then some of this may feel familiar, but even then, its warmth and clarity make the material feel freshly grounded.
What really works is the balance between explanation and application. Hibberd breaks down the science and psychology behind overthinking in a way that feels accessible rather than clinical, using clear metaphors, relatable examples and a reassuring tone. Each chapter builds on the last, layering the information rather than piling it on all at once, and the practical exercises are woven in naturally rather than feeling like homework you will put off until tomorrow! She writes in a calm and accessible way, and it doesn’t ever feel preachy.
There is a strong focus on compassion for your own brain, which feels important in a genre that can sometimes feel like it’s telling you to “just stop doing that”… super helpful! 🙄 And reading this with my own recent diagnoses in mind added an extra layer of importance… Overthinking, for me, is not just spiralling thoughts but a survival strategy that may have felt useful at one point in life but now is the absolute opposite! Having said that, the author never claims to cure complex mental health conditions, and I appreciated that. Instead, she offers frameworks for noticing thought patterns and learning when to engage with your mind and when to disengage. These tools are offered as a way to complement therapy and medication rather than replace them.
This isn’t a flashy self help book with a miracle promise, and that is why it worked for me. It is practical, plain-speaking and empowering, one to dog ear, underline and come back to on a rough week.
From the off, this book makes it clear that overthinking is not a personal failing, but a learned habit, often rooted in anxiety, perfectionism, or past experiences, that can be understood and softened with the right tools. If you’re already familiar with CBT based techniques then some of this may feel familiar, but even then, its warmth and clarity make the material feel freshly grounded.
What really works is the balance between explanation and application. Hibberd breaks down the science and psychology behind overthinking in a way that feels accessible rather than clinical, using clear metaphors, relatable examples and a reassuring tone. Each chapter builds on the last, layering the information rather than piling it on all at once, and the practical exercises are woven in naturally rather than feeling like homework you will put off until tomorrow! She writes in a calm and accessible way, and it doesn’t ever feel preachy.
There is a strong focus on compassion for your own brain, which feels important in a genre that can sometimes feel like it’s telling you to “just stop doing that”… super helpful! 🙄 And reading this with my own recent diagnoses in mind added an extra layer of importance… Overthinking, for me, is not just spiralling thoughts but a survival strategy that may have felt useful at one point in life but now is the absolute opposite! Having said that, the author never claims to cure complex mental health conditions, and I appreciated that. Instead, she offers frameworks for noticing thought patterns and learning when to engage with your mind and when to disengage. These tools are offered as a way to complement therapy and medication rather than replace them.
This isn’t a flashy self help book with a miracle promise, and that is why it worked for me. It is practical, plain-speaking and empowering, one to dog ear, underline and come back to on a rough week.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Insightful, practical, and reassuring!
Title: The Overthinking Cure
Format: Audiobook
Author: Dr Jessamy Hibberd
Dr Jessamy Hibberd’s The Overthinking Cure offers a compassionate and clear-eyed guide through the tangled loops of rumination and anxiety. As an audiobook, the experience feels particularly warm and personal — like having a calm, wise friend walk you through effective strategies for quieting your inner critic.
💡 What worked well:
Accessible narration: The narrator’s tone is soothing and measured, which really supports the subject matter. It makes even the more cognitively heavy concepts feel easy to absorb without being patronizing.
Practical tools: Dr Hibberd blends cognitive-behavioral techniques with mindfulness and self-compassion practices in a way that feels pragmatic and doable. Exercises are clearly explained and well-paced in the audiobook format.
Relatable framing: The book doesn’t just present theory; it draws on real-world examples that make the patterns of overthinking recognizable (and, importantly, changeable).
🔍 Highlights:
The breakdown of how overthinking loops start and sustain themselves was eye-opening.
The emphasis on self-compassion rather than self-criticism makes this stand out from more “tough-love” self-help reads.
A great balance between psychology and actionable steps — ideal for listeners who want both understanding and doing.
📌 A few caveats:
If you’re already very familiar with CBT or mindfulness frameworks, some of the content may feel familiar.
A few sections lean a bit “workbook-y,” which is great if you enjoy pausing and reflecting, but may feel a little slow if you’re after a purely narrative style.
🎧 Overall:
A thoughtful, uplifting listen for anyone prone to rumination or stuck in mental loops. Its strength is in its grounded, gentle approach — the kind that doesn’t just tell you to “stop overthinking,” but teaches you how to do it with curiosity and kindness.
ARC from NetGalley!
Title: The Overthinking Cure
Format: Audiobook
Author: Dr Jessamy Hibberd
Dr Jessamy Hibberd’s The Overthinking Cure offers a compassionate and clear-eyed guide through the tangled loops of rumination and anxiety. As an audiobook, the experience feels particularly warm and personal — like having a calm, wise friend walk you through effective strategies for quieting your inner critic.
💡 What worked well:
Accessible narration: The narrator’s tone is soothing and measured, which really supports the subject matter. It makes even the more cognitively heavy concepts feel easy to absorb without being patronizing.
Practical tools: Dr Hibberd blends cognitive-behavioral techniques with mindfulness and self-compassion practices in a way that feels pragmatic and doable. Exercises are clearly explained and well-paced in the audiobook format.
Relatable framing: The book doesn’t just present theory; it draws on real-world examples that make the patterns of overthinking recognizable (and, importantly, changeable).
🔍 Highlights:
The breakdown of how overthinking loops start and sustain themselves was eye-opening.
The emphasis on self-compassion rather than self-criticism makes this stand out from more “tough-love” self-help reads.
A great balance between psychology and actionable steps — ideal for listeners who want both understanding and doing.
📌 A few caveats:
If you’re already very familiar with CBT or mindfulness frameworks, some of the content may feel familiar.
A few sections lean a bit “workbook-y,” which is great if you enjoy pausing and reflecting, but may feel a little slow if you’re after a purely narrative style.
🎧 Overall:
A thoughtful, uplifting listen for anyone prone to rumination or stuck in mental loops. Its strength is in its grounded, gentle approach — the kind that doesn’t just tell you to “stop overthinking,” but teaches you how to do it with curiosity and kindness.
ARC from NetGalley!
April 4, 2026
I am a massive overthinker and once I get on the hamster wheel I can't get off it. I didn't even know it was a solvable problem, I just thought it was the way that I am but now I know better thanks to Dr Jessamy Hibberd's amazing life-changing book, The Overthinking Cure.
By the time I had finished reading chapter one, I had started to recognise when I was overthinking and by the end of chapter two I realised I wasn't alone and it's not my fault. Our brains are wired to solve problems and part of that is going through every possible outcome, but sometimes this overthinking can affect our life and become a negative habit.
The book is set out in three parts: Understanding the problem, Why we overthink and The cure. It is written in a very accessible way that is easy to understand and there are diagrams, tables and exercises to aid further understanding. The chapters are concise and informative as well as being interesting and thought-provoking. There are some memorable analogies too and I particularly liked one about our emotions being like where to seat children in a car: you don't want them driving it but neither do you want them hidden away in the boot!
Whilst I think it's a long road to cure my overthinking, I feel like I'm heading in the right direction with my emotions firmly strapped in to the back seat. I think it's fair to say that The Overthinking Cure could change your life as it has already made a difference to mine. Don't overthink it - just order a copy now!
By the time I had finished reading chapter one, I had started to recognise when I was overthinking and by the end of chapter two I realised I wasn't alone and it's not my fault. Our brains are wired to solve problems and part of that is going through every possible outcome, but sometimes this overthinking can affect our life and become a negative habit.
The book is set out in three parts: Understanding the problem, Why we overthink and The cure. It is written in a very accessible way that is easy to understand and there are diagrams, tables and exercises to aid further understanding. The chapters are concise and informative as well as being interesting and thought-provoking. There are some memorable analogies too and I particularly liked one about our emotions being like where to seat children in a car: you don't want them driving it but neither do you want them hidden away in the boot!
Whilst I think it's a long road to cure my overthinking, I feel like I'm heading in the right direction with my emotions firmly strapped in to the back seat. I think it's fair to say that The Overthinking Cure could change your life as it has already made a difference to mine. Don't overthink it - just order a copy now!
February 13, 2026
If you’ve ever found yourself stuck in a loop of “what ifs,” rehashing past conversations, or worrying about every little detail that could go wrong, The Overthinking Cure is a book that’ll feel like it was written just for you.
The book breaks down seven distinct overthinking styles, emphasizing that most of us won’t fit neatly into one box – instead, we’re often a mix of several. What really resonated with me was how it clearly distinguishes between healthy reflection and harmful overthinking; I’d never considered myself an overthinker before, but reading it helped me recognize patterns I’d been unconsciously falling into in certain situations.
This couldn’t come at a more important time: nearly one in six English adults experiences a common mental disorder like depression or anxiety in any given week, and we’re facing a clear mental health crisis. The Overthinking Cure feels like a vital tool for navigating this landscape – practical, compassionate, and deeply insightful. I already know it’ll be a book I will return to again and again, dipping into specific chapters whenever I need to understand my thought patterns and pull myself out of a spiral. For anyone looking to gain control over their mind and build healthier thinking habits, this is an essential read that belongs on every self-care shelf.
The book breaks down seven distinct overthinking styles, emphasizing that most of us won’t fit neatly into one box – instead, we’re often a mix of several. What really resonated with me was how it clearly distinguishes between healthy reflection and harmful overthinking; I’d never considered myself an overthinker before, but reading it helped me recognize patterns I’d been unconsciously falling into in certain situations.
This couldn’t come at a more important time: nearly one in six English adults experiences a common mental disorder like depression or anxiety in any given week, and we’re facing a clear mental health crisis. The Overthinking Cure feels like a vital tool for navigating this landscape – practical, compassionate, and deeply insightful. I already know it’ll be a book I will return to again and again, dipping into specific chapters whenever I need to understand my thought patterns and pull myself out of a spiral. For anyone looking to gain control over their mind and build healthier thinking habits, this is an essential read that belongs on every self-care shelf.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This book explores a struggle many people will recognise: getting trapped in cycles of anxious, repetitive thinking. Drawing on her experience as a psychologist, Hibberd explains how overthinking can masquerade as problem-solving while actually keeping us stuck in worry and self-doubt.
The book is written in a clear and accessible style, and the practical approach is one of its strengths. Hibberd introduces straightforward techniques such as noticing thought patterns, challenging unhelpful thinking, and learning to respond more intentionally to intrusive thoughts. The inclusion of prompts and real-life examples from her clinical work helps make the advice feel relatable and applicable to everyday situations.
However, readers familiar with cognitive behavioural strategies or self-help books on anxiety may find much of the material quite familiar. While the guidance is solid and sensible, it doesn’t necessarily offer many new insights beyond well-established psychological techniques.
That said, The Overthinking Cure works well as an introductory guide for those beginning to explore their relationship with anxious thinking. It offers practical reminders and simple tools that can help readers step back from mental spirals and focus more on what truly matters.
The book is written in a clear and accessible style, and the practical approach is one of its strengths. Hibberd introduces straightforward techniques such as noticing thought patterns, challenging unhelpful thinking, and learning to respond more intentionally to intrusive thoughts. The inclusion of prompts and real-life examples from her clinical work helps make the advice feel relatable and applicable to everyday situations.
However, readers familiar with cognitive behavioural strategies or self-help books on anxiety may find much of the material quite familiar. While the guidance is solid and sensible, it doesn’t necessarily offer many new insights beyond well-established psychological techniques.
That said, The Overthinking Cure works well as an introductory guide for those beginning to explore their relationship with anxious thinking. It offers practical reminders and simple tools that can help readers step back from mental spirals and focus more on what truly matters.
January 19, 2026
I received this audio book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I found the book to be a helpful and practical read full of tips and reframing tools. I have severe anxiety, depression and panic disorder, and am the biggest over thinker so I’m always keen to find things to add to my arsenal.
Although I’m very familiar with many therapeutic interventions, tools and resources, I felt this was useful, and a reflective resource for me, particularly with examples and different scenarios we’ll likely face in our lives provided and how we can approach them for a better outcome. It made me reflect a lot and I did appreciate the narrator’s (who’s the author) tone which felt calm and relatable.
I also felt that I’d possibly benefit more from a physical copy when it’s released, as listening to the audio book meant I couldn’t highlight or tab pages and make notes to refer back to.
I would recommend this book especially to anyone who’s less familiar with interventions and those who would find a refresher.
I found the book to be a helpful and practical read full of tips and reframing tools. I have severe anxiety, depression and panic disorder, and am the biggest over thinker so I’m always keen to find things to add to my arsenal.
Although I’m very familiar with many therapeutic interventions, tools and resources, I felt this was useful, and a reflective resource for me, particularly with examples and different scenarios we’ll likely face in our lives provided and how we can approach them for a better outcome. It made me reflect a lot and I did appreciate the narrator’s (who’s the author) tone which felt calm and relatable.
I also felt that I’d possibly benefit more from a physical copy when it’s released, as listening to the audio book meant I couldn’t highlight or tab pages and make notes to refer back to.
I would recommend this book especially to anyone who’s less familiar with interventions and those who would find a refresher.
March 19, 2026
It’s a well-written, practical book. Clear structure, easy to follow, and grounded in real situations. But if you’ve spent time working on decision-making or self-awareness, most of the ideas will feel familiar.
That’s not a weakness. It just means this book isn’t about new concepts. It’s about applying what we already know.
That said, not everyone starts there. A lot of this is learned through years and experience. If I picked this up in my 20s or 30s, it would have been a top book for me.
A lot of the advice is simple:
Interrupt the thought loop
Reframe the situation
Focus on what’s in your control
All valid. All proven.
But not easy to execute.
We’re wired to overthink. It’s not something you switch off. It’s something you manage.
What the book does well is bring attention back to that moment when thinking stops being useful and starts slowing you down.
That’s the real skill: knowing when to stop thinking and move.
I’d recommend this to anyone who knows they tend to overthink. Just don’t expect a shortcut. It comes down to practice.
That’s not a weakness. It just means this book isn’t about new concepts. It’s about applying what we already know.
That said, not everyone starts there. A lot of this is learned through years and experience. If I picked this up in my 20s or 30s, it would have been a top book for me.
A lot of the advice is simple:
Interrupt the thought loop
Reframe the situation
Focus on what’s in your control
All valid. All proven.
But not easy to execute.
We’re wired to overthink. It’s not something you switch off. It’s something you manage.
What the book does well is bring attention back to that moment when thinking stops being useful and starts slowing you down.
That’s the real skill: knowing when to stop thinking and move.
I’d recommend this to anyone who knows they tend to overthink. Just don’t expect a shortcut. It comes down to practice.
March 12, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read The Overthinking Cure
I found this book well-constructed. It really tackles the topic of overthinking in its entirety. From learning about what overthinking is, to trying to figure out which type of overthinker you are, to have concrete examples and solutions to your thinking process, everything is covered.
I found the examples really helpful and could relate to many of the testimonies. The use of different materials (graphs, tables, diagrams and headlines) as well as the recaps before and at the end of each chapter helped and showed how this book can speak to someone who prefers visual material than just reading.
I would highly recommend it, but not necessarily in the digital format. As I read this e-ARC, I felt like I wanted to hold the book, annotate it, and do the exercises on paper, but couldn’t really do that.
I found this book well-constructed. It really tackles the topic of overthinking in its entirety. From learning about what overthinking is, to trying to figure out which type of overthinker you are, to have concrete examples and solutions to your thinking process, everything is covered.
I found the examples really helpful and could relate to many of the testimonies. The use of different materials (graphs, tables, diagrams and headlines) as well as the recaps before and at the end of each chapter helped and showed how this book can speak to someone who prefers visual material than just reading.
I would highly recommend it, but not necessarily in the digital format. As I read this e-ARC, I felt like I wanted to hold the book, annotate it, and do the exercises on paper, but couldn’t really do that.
April 15, 2026
This is a good book. I heard Jessamy on a podcast and I really connected with her. I bought this book so that I could read it at my leisure and I purchased her book on trauma through Audible because I thought that one would be easier to listen to. I regret neither purchase. A lot of this book feels like common sense - social media is poison, get enough sleep, exercise and meditation is helpful, etc - but, honestly, I think we all need to have this drilled into our heads sometimes because why don’t we do the things that we know are good for us!? Common sense aside, there were some really great tips and tricks in this book that are very helpful, the layout and prompts are worth skimming in and of themselves, and the extra resources are great. I definitely recommend this book if you are an overthinker or overthink that you may be an overthinker.
March 23, 2026
This is an excellent book. Very readable and informative. Dr Hibberd uses a variety of similes and metaphors to make the book accessible. With modern life seemingly a recipe for overthinking, this book proves the antidote. Readers will find a huge amount of very useful advice to help make sense of the world, both off and online. Who hasn't doom scrolled the "not so wondrous web" and social media, where there is more and more emphasis on being content and happy. This book helps give a different perspective and offers practical suggestion to escape the trap of overthinking. I was going to end by saying that it is a very thought provoking read, but am not sure this is the right thing to say in the context!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is a great book. As a coach and a counsellor the content was not new to me but it was laid out very nicely. The content was well explained with useful diagrams and I thought the appendix - which dealt with specific scenarios - was particularly helpful. If you have already read a lot in this area it might not give you further insight, but it will give you lots of helpful advice that is well collated. Thanks to NetGalley and Octopus Publishing for the ARC.
January 19, 2026
**Listened to audio book and read along with electronic copy**
This book was on a topic that I find super interesting, and the book itself did not disappoint. I really liked that Dr Hibberd narrated the audiobook herself too. She had a very calming voice which helped when taking in the information and instructions.
There were some really interesting points in this book, so much so that I think it will need a re-read.
Overall I really enjoyed this book, and had a lot to think about and analyse myself while reading. I will definitely try to implement the ideas into my every day life.
This book was on a topic that I find super interesting, and the book itself did not disappoint. I really liked that Dr Hibberd narrated the audiobook herself too. She had a very calming voice which helped when taking in the information and instructions.
There were some really interesting points in this book, so much so that I think it will need a re-read.
Overall I really enjoyed this book, and had a lot to think about and analyse myself while reading. I will definitely try to implement the ideas into my every day life.
February 11, 2026
The Overthinking Cure was a great read! It really made me think outside the box and loved that it was accustomed to all types of overthinking rather than just the ‘general idea’.
It’s definitely give me loads of ways to deal with my stresses - some which I hadn’t thought / heard of before!
Having had a really hard time with overthinking recently with work, one case study was actually the exact situation I was in and was really healing to read and made me feel very understood which is definitely an added bonus!
If your someone that struggles with overthinking I would definitely recommend giving this book ago ❤️
It’s definitely give me loads of ways to deal with my stresses - some which I hadn’t thought / heard of before!
Having had a really hard time with overthinking recently with work, one case study was actually the exact situation I was in and was really healing to read and made me feel very understood which is definitely an added bonus!
If your someone that struggles with overthinking I would definitely recommend giving this book ago ❤️
February 20, 2026
This is such a practical guide not just about overthinking but why we do it and how to overcome it., As a chronic overthinker I really appreciated the author’s approach. The language made it very accessible and the layout made it easy to refer back to which will come in handy many times.
February 5, 2026
Interesting and helpful
May 1, 2026
i’ve read / listened to a lot of books on this topic and this was probably one of the best. I appreciated the workbook style of how to take the lessons from theory to practice
April 17, 2026
I read this book just out of interest, not really understanding what overthinking is (or at least thinking it didn't apply much to me). I really liked the logical structure, down-to-earth and compassionate time and specific examples - many of which, it turns out, did apply to me! I've been putting some of the advice into practice and do feel a real improvement in my life.
July 23, 2026
read this during a difficult time and it helped a lot. filled with practical tips and actionable advice.
February 12, 2026
I've read many books on how to tackle overthinking and this was really accessible, with the audio book having great narration from the author.
I'm a fan of self-help books, which I use to keep my coaching, counselling and NLP skills up-to-date, as well as create more self-awareness and personal growth.
There were some useful hints and tips about what overthinking is, and how to tackle it, and I got some really interesting moments of reflection from it. It's an easy and enjoyable read and I'd definitely read more of Jessamy Hibberd's books.
Thanks to Jessamy Hibberd, Octopus Audio and Netgalley for this ARC in return for an honest review.
I'm a fan of self-help books, which I use to keep my coaching, counselling and NLP skills up-to-date, as well as create more self-awareness and personal growth.
There were some useful hints and tips about what overthinking is, and how to tackle it, and I got some really interesting moments of reflection from it. It's an easy and enjoyable read and I'd definitely read more of Jessamy Hibberd's books.
Thanks to Jessamy Hibberd, Octopus Audio and Netgalley for this ARC in return for an honest review.
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