Why Logic Won't Stop Overthinking: How Language Traps Us

In Session with psychologist Brett Mackie Series

How Language Traps Us (and Why There’s Probably Nothing Wrong With You)

“I know it doesn’t make sense… but it still feels real.”

I hear some version of this almost every week in the therapy room. A client will pause, look frustrated, and say: “Logically, I know this thought isn’t true. But my body doesn’t seem to care.”

If that sounds familiar, let me say this upfront: That doesn’t mean therapy isn’t working, and it definitely doesn’t mean you’re failing. It actually tells me your mind is doing exactly what human minds evolved to do.

Let’s slow this down together.

The Architecture of the Trap

Humans don’t just experience life—we interpret it. From a young age, we learn to link things together:

• Physical Feelings with Scary Meanings

• Mistakes with Identity

• Thoughts with Absolute Truth

Once the mind learns how to connect things, it does it automatically. To understand why your thoughts feel so "heavy," we have to look at how language literally tricks your biology.

A Deeper Look: The Lemon Experience

Close your eyes for a second after reading this.

Imagine you are standing in a bright, sun-drenched kitchen. On a wooden cutting board sits a plump, heavy lemon. You can see the tiny pores in its waxy, yellow skin. You pick it up, feeling its cool weight and the slight oily residue on your palm.

Now, imagine taking a sharp knife and slicing it right down the middle. A few drops of cold juice spray onto your hand. You pick up one of those dripping halves and bring it right to your nose. You smell that sharp, unmistakable citrus zing.

Now—and really try to see this—imagine opening your mouth and taking a massive, aggressive bite out of that lemon. Feel the cold juice hit your tongue, the sharp sting in the corners of your jaw, the bitter pulp against your teeth.

What happened? Most people notice their mouth watering. Their jaw might tighten. Some even wince.

But here is the reality: There is no lemon. There are only words on a screen.

Your brain "produced" a lemon out of thin air using language, and your body reacted as if it were a physical reality. This is why a thought like "I'm going to fail" or "They’re judging me" can make your heart race and your stomach knot. Your nervous system can’t tell the difference between a real threat and a well-rehearsed idea of one.

Why Logic Isn't the Key

This is the most frustrating part of the human experience. You can "analyse yourself to death," yet the panic or sadness remains.

Insight is a great compass, but it’s a poor engine. Arguing with your mind using logic is often like trying to put out a fire with a blowtorch; you're just using more of the same "language" that built the trap in the first place. This isn’t a failure of your will—it’s just how we are wired.

Try This: A Tool for "Defusion"

If language is the trap, the way out is to change your relationship with the words. We call this Defusion. When a heavy thought shows up today, try this simple shift:

1. Identify the thought: "I am incompetent."

2. Add a layer of distance: "I am having the thought that I am incompetent."

3. Add one more layer: "I notice I am having the thought that I am incompetent."

Notice the shift? The thought hasn't changed, but you’ve created a tiny bit of space between the "Lemon" and the "Sting." You are the observer, not the thought itself.

Step Out of the Loop

If you feel "hijacked" by your thoughts, or if you’ve spent years trying to logic your way into feeling better without success, you don't have to navigate that alone.

At our practice, we work with you to build Psychological Flexibility—the ability to carry difficult thoughts and feelings while still moving toward the life you actually want to live.

Ready to loosen the grip?

Whether you’d like to sit down with me (Brett) or another member of our team, we are here to support you in moving from "analysing the trap" towards living a life that fits your values.

[Get in touch to book a session] or meet our team.

Next time, In Session with Brett: We’ll talk about why thoughts feel so real, why insight alone rarely sets us free, and the one shift that actually keeps people from getting stuck in their own heads.