Introduction

Have you ever found yourself constantly replaying a conversation from the past? Or repeatedly thinking about and doubting a decision you made last month? This is called rumination. Rumination is a persistent and repetitive cycle of negative thinking. When a person ruminates, they are replaying, analyzing, and/or trying to find an answer for their intrusive thoughts or doubts. Rumination often leads to feelings of guilt, blame, shame, and helplessness because it does not lead to resolution. 

It is easier said than done to just “let go” of a negative thought or “move on” from the past. Rumination is persistent, rigid, and automatic, making it extremely challenging to stop the cycle. This blog explores the causes of rumination, signs you may be ruminating, the different types of rumination, and practical ways to manage rumination. 

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What causes rumination?

There are many reasons why someone may ruminate. History of trauma or stressful situations can contribute to rumination. People may believe that by thinking about something repeatedly, they can solve the problem or gain insight, thus leading to rumination. Some other reasons a person may ruminate include: 

• Poor self-esteem 
• Worrying about an upcoming event 
• Stressing about a fear 
• Personality traits, like perfectionism and neuroticism 
• Worrying about a health condition

Rumination is also linked to various mental health conditions, which adds an additional challenging element. Rumination can influence the symptoms of these conditions and these conditions can lead to rumination. Outlined below are some mental health conditions that can cause rumination or be influenced by it: 

1. Anxiety - which involves worrying or ruminating over fears and/or anticipated events and situations.
2. Depression - rumination is a significant risk factor for the onset of depressive symptoms. Ruminating over negative thoughts can lead to increased feelings of depression.
3. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) - OCD causes intrusive thoughts that lead to compulsive behaviors. Rumination may maintain these symptoms.
4. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) - individuals who experience a traumatic event may ruminate about it as a way to process the trauma. 

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Ruminating vs. Emotional Processing

It is normal to reflect back on upsetting or stressful experiences every now and then, so if you are wondering whether or not you ruminate, don’t worry! Rumination can often get confused with emotional processing because both focus on the problems and the emotions related to the problems. Some key characteristics of rumination are: 

• Focusing on a problem for more than a couple of minutes 
• Repetitive and persistent 
• Difficult to disengage from 
• Feeling worse than how you started
• Passive, not solution focused

On the other hand, emotional processing leads to a release of negative emotions and a feeling of acceptance. Some key characteristics of emotional processing are: 

• Leads to a feeling of acceptance 
• Produces solutions and insights 
• Allows for perspective taking 
• Can disengage and move forward

Types of Rumination

Research shows that there are four types of rumination: brooding, reflection, intrusive rumination, and deliberate rumination. 

Brooding 

This type of rumination involves an individual viewing themself or their circumstances through a hopeless and gloomy lens. They generally feel dissatisfied with life and constantly think about the negative aspects of a situation without trying to solve it. This type of rumination generally makes them feel worse because it involves criticizing themselves. 

Reflection

This type of rumination occurs when an individual analyzes why a situation occurred, how to avoid a specific problem if it happened again, and/or why they feel the way they do. It is important to note that reflection can be beneficial if it is directed towards goal attainment and error correction. 

Intrusive rumination

This type of rumination involves intrusive thoughts and emotions after an upsetting event. Individuals will find it challenging to stop thinking about their distressing thoughts and emotions. 

Deliberate rumination 

This type of rumination occurs when an individual tries to make meaning of a thought, feeling, problem, or event. Essentially, when an individual is engaging in deliberate rumination, they are focusing all of their attention on trying to make sense of what happened. This type of rumination will go on until the individual feels satisfied with their conclusion.

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Managing rumination 

It can be extremely challenging to stop the cycle of rumination. However, it is not impossible. Outlined below are some helpful strategies: 

1. Mindfulness 

Engaging in mindfulness exercises like mediation and deep breathing may help relieve feelings of stress. By bringing yourself to the present moment, you will gain more control over your thoughts, interrupting the cycle of negative and intrusive thoughts. 

2. Distraction

Once you notice yourself in the rumination cycle, find something that distracts you. This could include calling a friend, turning on music, doing a puzzle, or exercising. By quickly switching gears, your mind will begin focusing on something else rather than your negative thoughts.

3. Challenging your thoughts 

When we are experiencing negative thoughts, it can be easy to believe them even if they are not true. Challenging your thoughts involves understanding that all of your thoughts are not facts. A cognitive restructuring technique I like to use with clients is called “putting thoughts on trial”. This cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) activity allows the client to examine a specific thought and decide whether the thought is factual or simply just an opinion or assumption. This activity makes the thought feel less overwhelming and easier to navigate. 

4. Cut back on social media

Trust me, I love a good doom-scroll too. However, social media can trigger negative thoughts about our own life, appearance, and even relationships. If you find yourself feeling worse after scrolling, maybe consider limiting how much you engage with social media apps. 

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Final Thoughts 

Overcoming the cycle of rumination can be extremely challenging, but you do not have to navigate it alone. By being mindful, distracting yourself, challenging your thoughts, and being aware of your triggers like social media, you can begin interrupting the cycle and reclaim control over your thoughts. This is not a quick fix, but rather a process that will take time through practice. So next time you find yourself ruminating, take a deep breath and know that you have the right tools to navigate it. 

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Sources: 

• American Psychiatric Association . (2020). Rumination: A cycle of negative thinking. American Psychiatric Association. 
• Kinds of rumination and their psychological functions‍
• Repetitive Thoughts: Emotional Processing or Rumination? ‍
• How to stop ruminating: 7 Evidence-based tips for young adults