Your Mind's Playground: Overthinking, Low Mood and How Hypnosis Can Help
Have you ever lain awake replaying a conversation from three days ago? Or found yourself halfway through the washing up, deep in a story about everything that might go wrong next week? You're not alone. Our minds wander a lot, and most of the time that's perfectly healthy.
But sometimes the wandering gets stuck. The same worries go round and round, and the more we think, the worse we feel. Psychologists call this rumination, and it's closely linked with low mood and depression.
Many people ask me whether hypnosis can help with overthinking. In this post, I'll explain, in plain language, a part of the brain called the default mode network, what research says about rumination and low mood, and some simple things you can try today.
Meet your mind's playground: the default mode network
When you're not focused on a task, such as when you're daydreaming in the shower or gazing out the train window, a set of connected brain areas becomes more active. Researchers call this the default mode network, or DMN.
The DMN is your inner world. It helps you remember the past, imagine the future, think about other people, make sense of who you are, and come up with creative ideas. It's not a "bad" part of the brain. Daydreaming is how we plan, problem-solve and dream up something new.
I like to think of the DMN as a playground. Thoughts are the children at play: some games are imaginative and joyful, some are practical, and a few can get a bit rough.
When the games get stuck: rumination and low mood
In a healthy playground, the games keep changing. Rumination is different. It's like one game going round and round in circles ("Why did I say that? What's wrong with me?"), and the other children can't get a turn.
Brain imaging research suggests this matters. A large review that pooled 27 brain-scan studies found that, on average, people with depression showed stronger connections within the DMN and weaker connections in the brain's "focus and control" network.[1] Put simply: the inner, self-focused system seemed louder, and the system that helps us steer our attention seemed quieter. That fits how rumination feels.
It's important to be honest, though: the picture isn't simple. The biggest single study so far, of more than 1,300 people with depression, actually found reduced DMN connections, mainly in people with recurring depression.[2] So rather than saying the DMN is simply "overactive" in depression, it's more accurate to say it seems altered: the way it works, and how it talks to other brain networks, is different. These are averages from group studies, and brain scans can't diagnose depression in any one person.
The kind teacher in the playground
So what can we do about it? Here's where my favourite metaphor comes in.
Imagine a kind, calm teacher watching over the playground. The teacher doesn't stop the children from playing. Creative, friendly play is welcome. But the teacher is paying attention, and when a game turns unkind or starts going round in circles, they step in gently.
The teacher does three things:
Notices. "Ah, I've drifted off into worry again." Just noticing, without judgement, is the first and most important skill.
Names. "That's the worry game" or "That's the self-criticism game." Naming a thought helps you see it as a passing thought, not a fact.
Kindly redirects. The teacher invites the child towards a better game: your breath, your body, what's in front of you, or something you value.
What the teacher doesn't do is shout "Stop that!" or ban the child from the playground. That's because trying to push thoughts away tends to backfire. In a famous experiment, people asked not to think about a white bear ended up thinking about white bears even more later on.[3] It's called the white bear effect. A child who's been banned from the playground only becomes more noticeable, peering through the fence. Gentle noticing and redirecting works far better than suppression.
What research shows can change these networks
The encouraging news is that these brain networks aren't fixed. Several approaches seem to change how they work.
Hypnosis. Hypnosis is a calm, focused state, a bit like being absorbed in a good book. You stay aware and in control. In a study at Stanford University, highly hypnotisable people in hypnosis showed reduced links between the brain's focus centre and a key DMN hub, and stronger links between the focus centre and areas that sense the body.[4] In everyday terms: less inner chatter, and more calm connection with the body. That's very like the steady, attentive teacher. These studies are small, and people vary in how responsive they are to hypnosis, so it's a promising picture rather than a final answer.
Mindfulness. Experienced meditators showed less activity in core DMN areas, and stronger links with the brain's monitoring regions, than beginners.[5] In other words, less getting lost in thought and more noticing of it. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy also has good evidence for helping prevent depression coming back.
Exercise. A major review of 218 trials found that exercise, including walking, jogging, yoga and strength training, gave meaningful reductions in depression, with stronger effects at higher intensity.[6] Getting active is like the bell ringing and the children heading out for active games.
CBT. Cognitive behavioural therapy teaches you to notice, label and re-think unhelpful thoughts, which is exactly the teacher's job.
Practical tips you can try today
Catch and name it. When you notice you've been going over the same thing, silently say, "That's the worry game." No need to argue with it.
Ask the teacher's question. "Is this game helping me, or just going in circles?" If it's genuinely problem-solving, give it 10 minutes with a pen and paper. If it's circling, gently move on.
Redirect to your senses. Feel your feet on the floor, take three slow breaths, or name five things you can see.
Move your body. A brisk walk, along the beach or around the block, is one of the best-researched mood lifters there is.
Make a little "worry time". Set aside 15 minutes in the afternoon for worries. When one pops up at other times, kindly tell it, "Later."
Welcome the good daydreams. Not all mind-wandering is a problem. Let yourself enjoy the creative, playful games too.
How hypnosis sessions at Hypfocus can help
In my sessions at Hypfocus Therapies, we use hypnosis to help you build your own inner "kind teacher": a calm, steady part of you that can notice overthinking early and gently guide your attention somewhere more helpful. We combine this with practical counselling strategies and a self-hypnosis practice you can use at home. Sessions are available in person in Mentone or online.
I'm also creating a playground teacher hypnosis recording, coming soon to the Hypfocus shop.
Please look after yourself
Hypnosis is generally very safe, but it works alongside your medical care, not instead of it. If you're struggling with low mood or depression, please see your GP, who can talk with you about all your options, including a Mental Health Treatment Plan. Hypnotherapy may not suit everyone, for example some people with psychosis or bipolar disorder, so let me know at our first chat if you're unsure.
If you're in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 (24 hours), or 000 in an emergency.
Ready to find out more?
If overthinking is wearing you down and you'd like to explore hypnosis for low mood and depression in Melbourne, I'd love to hear from you.
Book a free 15-minute call or phone me on 0435 923 817. Together we can help your playground become a kinder, calmer place.
Georgina Mitchell, Clinical Hypnotherapist and Counsellor, Hypfocus Therapies, Mentone
Related reading:
Understanding the 6 Forms of Depression – And How Clinical Hypnotherapy Can Help
Going Through The Motions? Maybe It's High-Functioning Depression
References
Kaiser RH, Andrews-Hanna JR, Wager TD, Pizzagalli DA. Large-scale network dysfunction in major depressive disorder: a meta-analysis of resting-state functional connectivity. JAMA Psychiatry. 2015. PubMed
Yan C-G, et al. Reduced default mode network functional connectivity in patients with recurrent major depressive disorder. PNAS. 2019. PubMed
Wegner DM, Schneider DJ, Carter SR, White TL. Paradoxical effects of thought suppression. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 1987. PubMed
Jiang H, White MP, Greicius MD, Waelde LC, Spiegel D. Brain activity and functional connectivity associated with hypnosis. Cerebral Cortex. 2017. PubMed
Brewer JA, et al. Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity. PNAS. 2011. PubMed
Noetel M, et al. Effect of exercise for depression: systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. BMJ. 2024. PubMedHave you ever lain awake replaying a conversation from three days ago? Or found yourself halfway through the washing up, deep in a story about everything that might go wrong next week? You're not alone. Our minds wander a lot, and most of the time that's perfectly healthy.
But sometimes the wandering gets stuck. The same worries go round and round, and the more we think, the worse we feel. Psychologists call this rumination, and it's closely linked with low mood and depression.
Many people ask me whether hypnosis can help with overthinking. In this post, I'll explain, in plain language, a part of the brain called the default mode network, what research says about rumination and low mood, and some simple things you can try today.
Meet your mind's playground: the default mode network
When you're not focused on a task, such as when you're daydreaming in the shower or gazing out the train window, a set of connected brain areas becomes more active. Researchers call this the default mode network, or DMN.
The DMN is your inner world. It helps you remember the past, imagine the future, think about other people, make sense of who you are, and come up with creative ideas. It's not a "bad" part of the brain. Daydreaming is how we plan, problem-solve and dream up something new.
I like to think of the DMN as a playground. Thoughts are the children at play: some games are imaginative and joyful, some are practical, and a few can get a bit rough.
When the games get stuck: rumination and low mood
In a healthy playground, the games keep changing. Rumination is different. It's like one game going round and round in circles ("Why did I say that? What's wrong with me?"), and the other children can't get a turn.
Brain imaging research suggests this matters. A large review that pooled 27 brain-scan studies found that, on average, people with depression showed stronger connections within the DMN and weaker connections in the brain's "focus and control" network.[1] Put simply: the inner, self-focused system seemed louder, and the system that helps us steer our attention seemed quieter. That fits how rumination feels.
It's important to be honest, though: the picture isn't simple. The biggest single study so far, of more than 1,300 people with depression, actually found reduced DMN connections, mainly in people with recurring depression.[2] So rather than saying the DMN is simply "overactive" in depression, it's more accurate to say it seems altered: the way it works, and how it talks to other brain networks, is different. These are averages from group studies, and brain scans can't diagnose depression in any one person.
The kind teacher in the playground
So what can we do about it? Here's where my favourite metaphor comes in.
Imagine a kind, calm teacher watching over the playground. The teacher doesn't stop the children from playing. Creative, friendly play is welcome. But the teacher is paying attention, and when a game turns unkind or starts going round in circles, they step in gently.
The teacher does three things:
Notices. "Ah, I've drifted off into worry again." Just noticing, without judgement, is the first and most important skill.
Names. "That's the worry game" or "That's the self-criticism game." Naming a thought helps you see it as a passing thought, not a fact.
Kindly redirects. The teacher invites the child towards a better game: your breath, your body, what's in front of you, or something you value.
What the teacher doesn't do is shout "Stop that!" or ban the child from the playground. That's because trying to push thoughts away tends to backfire. In a famous experiment, people asked not to think about a white bear ended up thinking about white bears even more later on.[3] It's called the white bear effect. A child who's been banned from the playground only becomes more noticeable, peering through the fence. Gentle noticing and redirecting works far better than suppression.
What research shows can change these networks
The encouraging news is that these brain networks aren't fixed. Several approaches seem to change how they work.
Hypnosis. Hypnosis is a calm, focused state, a bit like being absorbed in a good book. You stay aware and in control. In a study at Stanford University, highly hypnotisable people in hypnosis showed reduced links between the brain's focus centre and a key DMN hub, and stronger links between the focus centre and areas that sense the body.[4] In everyday terms: less inner chatter, and more calm connection with the body. That's very like the steady, attentive teacher. These studies are small, and people vary in how responsive they are to hypnosis, so it's a promising picture rather than a final answer.
Mindfulness. Experienced meditators showed less activity in core DMN areas, and stronger links with the brain's monitoring regions, than beginners.[5] In other words, less getting lost in thought and more noticing of it. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy also has good evidence for helping prevent depression coming back.
Exercise. A major review of 218 trials found that exercise, including walking, jogging, yoga and strength training, gave meaningful reductions in depression, with stronger effects at higher intensity.[6] Getting active is like the bell ringing and the children heading out for active games.
CBT. Cognitive behavioural therapy teaches you to notice, label and re-think unhelpful thoughts, which is exactly the teacher's job.
Practical tips you can try today
Catch and name it. When you notice you've been going over the same thing, silently say, "That's the worry game." No need to argue with it.
Ask the teacher's question. "Is this game helping me, or just going in circles?" If it's genuinely problem-solving, give it 10 minutes with a pen and paper. If it's circling, gently move on.
Redirect to your senses. Feel your feet on the floor, take three slow breaths, or name five things you can see.
Move your body. A brisk walk, along the beach or around the block, is one of the best-researched mood lifters there is.
Make a little "worry time". Set aside 15 minutes in the afternoon for worries. When one pops up at other times, kindly tell it, "Later."
Welcome the good daydreams. Not all mind-wandering is a problem. Let yourself enjoy the creative, playful games too.
How hypnosis sessions at Hypfocus can help
In my sessions at Hypfocus Therapies, we use hypnosis to help you build your own inner "kind teacher": a calm, steady part of you that can notice overthinking early and gently guide your attention somewhere more helpful. We combine this with practical counselling strategies and a self-hypnosis practice you can use at home. Sessions are available in person in Mentone or online.
I'm also creating a playground teacher hypnosis recording, coming soon to the Hypfocus shop.
Please look after yourself
Hypnosis is generally very safe, but it works alongside your medical care, not instead of it. If you're struggling with low mood or depression, please see your GP, who can talk with you about all your options, including a Mental Health Treatment Plan. Hypnotherapy may not suit everyone, for example some people with psychosis or bipolar disorder, so let me know at our first chat if you're unsure.
If you're in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 (24 hours), or 000 in an emergency.
Ready to find out more?
If overthinking is wearing you down and you'd like to explore hypnosis for low mood and depression in Melbourne, I'd love to hear from you.
Book a free 15-minute call or phone me on 0435 923 817. Together we can help your playground become a kinder, calmer place.
Georgina Mitchell, Clinical Hypnotherapist and Counsellor, Hypfocus Therapies, Mentone
Related reading:
Understanding the 6 Forms of Depression – And How Clinical Hypnotherapy Can Help
Going Through The Motions? Maybe It's High-Functioning Depression
References
Kaiser RH, Andrews-Hanna JR, Wager TD, Pizzagalli DA. Large-scale network dysfunction in major depressive disorder: a meta-analysis of resting-state functional connectivity. JAMA Psychiatry. 2015. PubMed
Yan C-G, et al. Reduced default mode network functional connectivity in patients with recurrent major depressive disorder. PNAS. 2019. PubMed
Wegner DM, Schneider DJ, Carter SR, White TL. Paradoxical effects of thought suppression. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 1987. PubMed
Jiang H, White MP, Greicius MD, Waelde LC, Spiegel D. Brain activity and functional connectivity associated with hypnosis. Cerebral Cortex. 2017. PubMed
Brewer JA, et al. Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity. PNAS. 2011. PubMed
Noetel M, et al. Effect of exercise for depression: systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. BMJ. 2024. PubMed
