How to respond when he texts saying he's overthinking messages

Overthinking texts usually means he's trying to sound a certain way or hit a certain tone. He's editing himself. When he tells you this, he's testing whether you care if he drops the act. The subtext is: can I just be less filtered around you?

This is good news. It means he wants to feel comfortable. Your job is not to convince him he's doing fine. Your job is to signal that the pressure is off. You can do this by being casual back, by not pretending his admission doesn't matter, or by moving the conversation somewhere that doesn't require perfect text execution. A confession like this usually means he's ready to be less formal, so let him.

Don't make a production out of his admission. No long paragraphs about how you appreciate his honesty or how he shouldn't worry. That makes it weird and heavy. Instead, acknowledge it briefly and shift the tone. This tells him you heard him, you're not bothered by it, and you don't need him to keep explaining himself.

You can do this by matching his casual tone, making a light joke at the situation, or just asking him a question about something real so the conversation can breathe. The move is to show him through your next text that the overthinking didn't scare you off and that you're interested enough that he can relax.

If you're interested in this person, this is a sign to move toward meeting sooner rather than later. Texting anxiety often dissolves the moment two people are face to face. If you leave him texting you for weeks after this confession, he'll keep overthinking.

You don't need to make it a big deal. Just bring up a concrete plan within the next few days if you can. If meeting soon isn't realistic, stay engaged enough that he doesn't disappear into his own head. If you're not that into him, it's better to give a warmer response now and slower one later rather than a cold or dismissive one that confirms his fears.