How does someone in this kind of state "just stop overthinking it"?

As someone who has dealt with both anxiety (and still do but less often) and depression I know how frustrating it is when people tell you to just stop being sad or anxious. It feels like they just dont get it.

However it comes from a good and partially right place, the only way to help yourself in those situations is to make the decision that you want to change. Many people dont get this far as they see their situations as so hopeless and without salvation, which is so tragically incorrect.

The key to getting better is forcing yourself to "just stop" even if for just a few seconds a day. If you are anxious about talking to people force yourself to "just stop" and make it a goal to say hi or smile at one stranger per day. Thats it. That's your goal for the whole day. If you are afraid of leaving your house to deal with people then force yourself to "just stop" and simply start off by sitting outside or taking a single stroll around the block then come back. If you are depressed and can't leave your bed then make it the only goal for that day to wake up and make the bed.

Life lasting change won't happen in a week, or a month, maybe not even a year. But that doesn't matter at all because all you are worried about is TODAY and accomplishing that one small goal you set out for yourself TODAY. The combination of all these seemingly insignificant little victories over the course of days are what will ultimately change your life. You will build off the feeling of one accomplishment and chase it into the next one it then becomes a domino effect. The more small goals you accomplish the better you will feel about yourself which in turn will make you want to improve even more.

Making small goals for yourself is the key to getting the ball rolling towards regaining that feeling of being proud of yourself, and thats something ANYONE in ANY situation can do.