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Apr 6, 2024 · CBT-trained professionals teach clients strategies to unhook from ruminations by taking different perspectives, separating facts from judgments, and reframing negаtive assumptions into more ...
Feb 17, 2024 · Journalling can help you identify patterns in your thinking or identify triggers that might lead to rumination. Self-disclosure - Talking to a trusted friend or loved one can help you shift your perspective and stop further rumination. A friend might be able to help you recall past positive experiences or times when things turned out well.
- Overview
- What is rumination?
- What causes rumination?
- Tips for addressing ruminating thoughts
- Frequently asked questions
- Summary
Rumination is when you feel stuck in a cycle of negative thoughts. It can accompany or aggravate anxiety and other disorders. Distraction, meditation, and other tips may help you break the cycle.
Rumination is common to many health conditions and has close links with past negative experiences.
It can feel like a loop that you can’t get out of.
Here, find out what rumination is, why it happens, and how to stop it.
The American Psychological Association (APA) defines rumination as “obsessional thinking involving excessive, repetitive thoughts or themes that interfere with other forms of mental activity.”
It can be a symptom of various mental health issues. The APA adds that it commonly occurs with obsessive-compulsive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder.
As well as being a symptom, the habit of rumination can affect a person’s health by:
•prolonging or intensifying depression
•impairing your ability to think and process emotions
•causing or aggravating anxiety, sleep problems, and impulsive behaviors
People ruminate for a variety of reasons.
In 2005, the APA listed some common reasons for rumination as:
•the belief that by ruminating, you’ll gain insight into your life or a problem
•having a history of emotional or physical trauma
•facing ongoing stressors that you can’t control
Ruminating can also affect people with personality characteristics, such as perfectionism, anxiety, and excessive concern about their relationships with others.
If you ruminate, you may be more likely to:
•focus on negative events from the past and blame yourself for them
•interpret current events more negatively
•feel more hopeless about the future
Rumination can be a hard cycle to break, but there are ways to stop these intrusive thoughts. When such thoughts begin, stopping them promptly may prevent them from becoming more intense.
Here are 12 tips to try when you begin to experience the same thought, or set of thoughts, swirling around your head:
What is obsessive rumination disorder?
Rumination is a bit like overthinking, where you keep going over and over the same thoughts. These are often negative thoughts about the past, present, or future. They can involve self-blame, hopelessness, and negative self-esteem. While you may experience rumination as a symptom of mood disorders, it is not a disorder on its own.
What medication is used to stop rumination?
While rumination is not a disorder, it commonly occurs with various mental health conditions, such as depression, anxiety, and OCD. In some cases, medications such as serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), or tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) may help treat the underlying cause.
How do I stop obsessive rumination?
Distraction, setting lower expectations for yourself, or making an action plan may help you stop ruminating in the short term. If these strategies don’t help, counseling or CBT may be beneficial.
Ruminating involves a cycle where you keep thinking the same thoughts or worrying the same worries without getting anywhere. It can be exhausting and it can affect your sleep and your mental and physical health.
Tips for breaking the cycle include speaking with others, seeking distraction, noticing your triggers, and reviewing your perspective.
There are many other ways to overcome rumination which you can develop. If you would like to experience these for yourself and book a session with us then please contact us at [email protected] or on 0151 601 4445. OCD & CBT. Cognitive behavioural therapy is an effective treatment for OCD disorders.
Do you ever find yourself in a downward spiral where one negative thought leads to an overall negative outlook? Onebright London and UK CBT therapists share their CBT-inspired techniques to help you prevent rumination. Imagine you had a conversation with someone, and afterwards, you start overthinking every word, gesture, or reaction.
habit—repeated attempts at doing different things can help us learn a new set of responses. Thus we can be hopeful about the possibility of changing the rumination habit. One of the first things the therapy will ask you to do is to keep a record of your rumination—this is designed to help make you more aware of this habit.
People also ask
How can CBT help you unhook from ruminations?
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Are ruminating thoughts taking over your life?
Addressing rumination is a critical step in improving your mental well-being. There are various effective techniques and strategies to help you overcome this harmful thought pattern. Below are some of the key methods you can use to stop ruminating: Journal. Distract yourself. Be mindful. Make a plan. Consider new perspectives. Know your triggers.
