Therapists call this sort of rehashing of past events rumination. When constant rumination causes you anxiety or influences all of your decisions too heavily, it can become extremely debilitating. We asked experts to help us explain why it happens and how to stop ruminating for good.
What Causes Rumination?
According to Jud Brewer, MD, PhD, associate professor and director of research and innovation at the Mindfulness Center at Brown University, it’s important to recognize when your mind starts to spiral into rumination, or as he likes to call it, “review and regret.” Think of rumination as a bad habit. “It actually makes sense mechanistically if you think about the basics of habit loops: trigger, bait, reward,” Dr. Brewer says. “If the trigger is that a person has a thought or a certain feeling in their body, the behavior would be the rumination—or replaying—I call it ‘review and regret.’” What’s the reward? Basically, it’s familiarity. Dr. Brewer cites a study, which showed that people who are depressed are more likely to prefer sad music, pictures, and memories—essentially things that keep them in a sad mood. That’s because this sad mood is familiar. “Their speculation was that people are just more familiar and comfortable with those states, and that familiarity feels good and trumps something that is outside of their norms,” he explains.
Is Rumination Actually Comforting?
Leaving this state of rumination can be mentally equated with leaving a comfort zone, which can lead to panic due to unfamiliarity. But Kati Morton, LMFT, a licensed therapist and YouTuber, explains that this can become a problem when these negative reflections begin to take up the majority of your brain space or begin to impede your ability to complete daily tasks. “There are many ways this can harm us,” she says. “First, it can make concentration at work or school difficult, if not impossible. Next, it can erode our confidence and faith in our abilities. It can also make it hard for us to sleep at night, complete daily tasks, and actively participate in our relationships.”
Can Rumination Physically Hurt You?
Ali Mattu, PhD, clinical psychologist and host of The Psych Show, says that people should remember that “while your thoughts might be scary, they aren’t dangerous.” Sure, ruminating can prevent us from living a full life and cause our bodies stress, but the thoughts themselves are benign. Knowing that our thoughts cannot harm us should help the cascade of ruminating and then worrying about ruminating. “Worries and rumination are just thoughts and your thoughts can’t do anything to harm you,” says Mattu. “I also remind people that if you’re struggling with your thoughts in this way, they probably aren’t that helpful anymore. Sometimes we try to worry or ruminate our way out of a problem, but that rarely works. Solutions usually come from taking action, getting help, or just giving the problem some time.”
Tips to Stop Ruminating
If you’re going through a time where you can’t stop dredging up the past in your mind, don’t worry—Dr. Brewer, Morton, and Mattu have compiled some actionable steps you can take to overcome these thoughts when you’re in the eye of the storm. He then explains that the brain is always looking for a bigger, better offer—so replace that negative thinking and those negative feelings with something else, like simply being present in the current moment. Take a second to check in with your five senses, go for a walk outside, or write down three things you’re grateful for. “Find the bigger, better offer, and eventually learn to replace the negative thoughts by repeating [this new, healthier reward] over and over again,” he says. “There’s an aspect to depression called anhedonia, and it’s when you don’t experience joy anymore in the things that usually bring you joy. Researchers think anhedonia is part of our psychology because it forces us to stop, think about the things we’re unhappy about, and make positive changes in our lives. This type of dwelling on the past can clarify the changes we need to make in the present.”
