Autism and Overthinking: What to Do About It

Have you ever turned in a paper at school and hoped you did well? You did your best to research the subject and polish your writing but aren’t convinced it’s your best work. What follows is a period of anxiety where you wonder if it’ll get a good grade or not. If this happened to you, that’s a case of overthinking.

Quick Summary

• Overthinking happens when someone stays focused on the same worry or situation for too long.

• Autistic individuals may be more likely to overthink due to factors like uncertainty, hyperfixation, and perfectionism.

• Overthinking can lead to anxiety, self-doubt, and difficulty staying present.

• Common forms of overthinking include rumination, catastrophizing, and assuming what others are thinking.

• Helpful strategies include grounding techniques, scheduled thinking time, challenging negative thoughts, and journaling or voice notes.

Overthinking is an issue that affects many people, including ones with autism. Many autistic individuals will often focus their attention on new and/or concerning issues and their possible negative outcomes. When these issues are persistent enough, they are all that person thinks about.

To be clear, having autism isn’t the only prerequisite to overthinking. Not all autistic individuals are susceptible to constant overthinking, and even some neurotypical people find themselves overthinking situations. Instead, the relationship between autism and overthinking has more to do with specific traits increasing the likelihood of having these obsessive thoughts. In this blog post, I will cover what overthinking is, what can cause autistic individuals to overthink, how it impacts their lives, and what can be done to manage it.

What is Overthinking?

People overthink when their thoughts stick with the same topic for too long. Take a conversation gone wrong. If someone reacts to an unclear conversation by spending the rest of the day, if not a week, thinking about what the other person meant, they have overthought the conversation.

There are many types of overthinking, including these examples:

Rumination

In the context of overthinking, rumination applies to past events that stick in your thoughts or future events you dread. In my experience, I would ruminate over giving presentations in front of my classmates.

Catastrophizing

People catastrophize when they read situations in the worst possible light. For example, you may think failing a test will prevent you from graduating when in reality it’ll only slightly affect your overall grade.

Mind Reading

Mind reading has nothing to do with actually reading someone’s mind. Instead, it’s about assuming what someone is thinking. Usually, mind reading causes someone to jump to conclusions. Conclusions that are rarely positive.

What Causes Autistic Individuals to Overthink?

Autistic individuals overthink because of multiple factors, such as:

Uncertainty

Many autistic individuals like certainty. They like knowing exact instructions, the effects of their decisions, and what to expect from an event. When the certainty is absent, overthinking can happen as the autistic individual no longer knows what to expect.

Hyperfixation

Fixating on specific topics or scenarios is a common trait of autism. These fixations have upsides and downsides. One of the downsides is how hyper-fixated topics can become obsessions that autistic individuals spend too much time thinking about.

In the past, I have been distracted by a new video game announcement. My hyperfixation on the announcement would then cause me to delay working because I couldn’t stop thinking about what excited me.

Perfectionism

Perfectionism causes people to stay focused on one task because they really want to get it right. Many autistic individuals are no strangers to perfectionism. This likelihood for them to want their work to be perfect can cause them to overthink the quality of their output.

The Effects of Autism and Overthinking

What happens when individuals with autism and obsessive thoughts cannot control them? Usually, overthinking is at its worst when it involves negative possible outcomes. This kind of overthinking can cause the following effects:

Anxiety

Overthinking is at its worst when the thoughts are negative. Keeping the bad thoughts in your head can result in anxiety. Autism and anxiety have a long-standing negative relationship, with overthinking being yet another part of it.

Self-Doubt

Situations like not knowing if the email you wrote is good can cause someone to doubt themselves. When working on tasks, this self-doubt can create a cycle where they don't know if anything is being done right, which can cause them to delay finishing their work.

Inability to Focus on the Present

In cases where someone is overthinking a past or future event, the biggest victim is their ability to focus on the present. After all, it’s hard to concentrate on studying or listen to someone else if all you think about is your upcoming presentation or speech. Personally, I have had days where I couldn’t focus because of an event I was dreading.

How to Manage Overthinking

While overthinking can cause challenges, there are strategies you can use to combat it, such as:

Scheduling Time to Overthink

This may sound counter-intuitive but it can be helpful to incorporate some time to overthink into your schedule. Doing so will allow you to have some time in the day to focus on important tasks and other times you can think to yourself. On my schedule, I will think to myself whenever I go on walks or use the treadmill.

Using Grounding Techniques

Grounding techniques like focusing on the sensations of your breath can help calm a racing mind. The idea here is that you take a break to refocus your mind. For example, you could use the box breathing technique if you cannot stop thinking about a negative possible outcome.

Challenging the Negative Thoughts

Whenever you overthink a negative subject, try counteracting those thoughts with some positive ones. Negative thoughts are going to stay in your mind if you let them. You can also use CDT techniques, which involves identifying the thought, examining the evidence, considering alternatives, and reframing it.

Journaling or Voice Notes

You can also take out a journal and write about what you’re overthinking. This method allows you to get the obsessive thoughts out of your head and onto something tangible. Using a voice notes app to speak the thoughts can also work. The best part about this method is that it’s private, so you’re not overexplaining something to someone who doesn’t want or need to hear it.

If you want more advice on how to treat overthinking, check out this blog post, which details 12 strategies you can use to calm your mind. If you want additional help, consider scheduling a meeting with one of Thrive Autism Coaching’s specialized coaches. You can click here to schedule a complimentary consultation.

Final Thoughts on Autism and Overthinking

When people overthink, their minds can become obsessed. Was my work good enough? Did I mess up that conversation? Will I be able to pay this month's rent? With an autistic individual’s ability to hyperfixate and want for certainty, they can be susceptible to ruminating on problematic experiences.

Regardless, there are ways to avoid becoming consumed by your thoughts. Through the advice provided here, you will be more able to disrupt your repetitive thoughts. And when you stop overthinking, you can focus on the present and avoid anxiety.

Key Takeaways

• Overthinking is common, and autistic adults may be more vulnerable because of traits like a strong need for certainty and the tendency to hyperfocus.

• Learning to identify the type of overthinking (rumination, catastrophizing, mind reading) helps you respond more effectively.

• Overthinking can affect emotional health, task completion, and the ability to stay focused on the present.

• Practical tools, such as grounding, planned thinking time, and cognitive reframing, can reduce the intensity of repetitive thoughts.

• Professional support, especially from autism-informed coaches, can help individuals develop personalized strategies that align with their strengths.

• When overthinking becomes overwhelming, reaching out for help is a productive step toward feeling more in control.

FAQs About Autism and Overthinking

Why do autistic adults overthink more than others?

Autistic adults may be more likely to overthink because they often prefer predictability, focus deeply on specific topics, and want to avoid mistakes. When situations feel uncertain or unclear, these traits can combine to create persistent, repetitive thoughts.

How can I tell the difference between anxiety and overthinking?

Overthinking involves getting stuck on the same thought or scenario. Anxiety is the emotional and physical stress response that can happen when those thoughts feel threatening or overwhelming. Overthinking can lead to anxiety, but they are not always the same thing.

What grounding techniques work best for autistic individuals?

Simple techniques like slow breathing, box breathing, naming sensory details around you, or holding a familiar object can help. These methods support regulation without requiring complex instructions, which makes them accessible during moments of overwhelm.

Can hyperfixation make overthinking worse?

Yes. Hyperfixation increases focus on a single topic or situation. When that topic is stressful or uncertain, it can intensify repetitive thinking and make it harder to redirect your attention.

When should someone consider professional support for overthinking?

It’s a good idea to seek support when overthinking interferes with sleep, work, relationships, or daily functioning. If the thoughts feel uncontrollable or the anxiety becomes too heavy to manage alone, a therapist or autism-informed life coach can help build practical strategies.

About the Author

Jackson McMahan is an autistic man who has been writing since his teen years. He's spent the early parts of his career writing about neurodiversity. With every piece he writes, Jackson hopes to further grow and refine his writing skills.