Stop Rumination: 8 Scientific Techniques to Calm Your Mind and Focus More

Rumination is persistent, uncontrollable, and often negative thinking about unpleasant experiences or feelings. This thought pattern traps people in an endless cycle of harmful thoughts and can leave destructive effects on mental and physical health. The pressures of today's life have caused rumination in many people. In fact, rumination is formed as an unconscious mechanism for processing negative thoughts; But instead of solving problems, a person is more involved in negative emotions and this process will aggravate mental problems. For this reason, knowing the symptoms of rumination is very important; Because timely recognition of these symptoms can play an important role in the treatment of rumination. In this article, we fully examine what rumination is, what factors cause it, and how it affects personal and social life. Also, we provide 8 scientific and practical solutions to reduce and treat rumination so that you can get out of this cycle of erosion and experience mental peace. **What is rumination and how is it formed?** Rumination is a process in which a person's mind continuously and uncontrollably reviews past negative experiences or concerns. When we get caught in this pattern, it's as if our mind is locked in a vicious cycle of repetitive and fruitless thoughts, and getting out of it becomes a serious challenge. But what exactly is rumination and why does it happen to some people? This phenomenon is usually formed in response to stress, anxiety or traumatic experiences. The mind tries to find a solution for them by constantly reviewing the events, but the result is nothing but increased psychological pressure and a feeling of helplessness. If you are experiencing symptoms of rumination, such as constantly thinking about past mistakes, worrying too much about the future, or feeling helpless, it is important to seek treatment for rumination as soon as possible. Knowing the signs and roots of mental rumination is the first step to get rid of this exhausting cycle. The good news is that by learning the scientific method, you can manage your thoughts and regain control of your mind. In the following, we will provide practical solutions to reduce and treat rumination to help you experience a happier life. ### **Symptoms of rumination** Rumination means analyzing, analyzing and overthinking negative experiences and feelings that may have happened to us in the past. Rumination is one of the symptoms of a large number of mental illnesses, and if its intensity is high, it will become a mental disorder itself. In addition to the mind, the effects of mental rumination disorder also have destructive effects on the human body. Our body wants to create a defense system by ruminating to deal with and treat depression and anxiety, while this work only aggravates the distress of the person. People with mental rumination only think about the problem itself and will not find any solution to cure that problem, therefore they will only make their problem bigger. Rumination symptoms can manifest in different ways. When the mind gets out of control and constantly engages in negative thoughts, these symptoms may appear. The most important symptoms of rumination are: 1. **Repetitive and Inconclusive Thoughts:** If you feel like you are constantly thinking about a particular issue or problem and can't find a solution, you may be ruminating. 2. **Excessive worry:** Instead of thinking about the current situation, you constantly worry about the future for which you have no definite solution. These worries only occupy your mind and keep you away from facing reality. 3. **Feeling of helplessness:** Mental rumination makes a person feel that he cannot get rid of his negative thoughts and is trapped in a negative cycle. 4. **Constant doubts:** People with rumination may feel doubts in every decision and cannot easily go through their thoughts. 5. **Feeling of mental pressure:** Continuous engagement with negative and repeated thoughts increases stress and anxiety, which puts a lot of mental pressure on a person. If you're experiencing some of these rumination symptoms, it's time to get treatment. Fortunately, there are scientific and practical ways to treat rumination that can help you control your thoughts and save you from this endless cycle. ### **Why do we ruminate?** Mental rumination is a negative mental mechanism to deal with various problems and until it is replaced with a better mechanism, it leads to mental and physical problems in a person. Various factors and stimuli play a role in causing rumination in different people, which we will learn about later. - Low self-confidence - Low self-esteem (causes him to doubt his worth and constantly think about his work and sometimes blame himself.) - History of mental or physical trauma in childhood and adolescence (loss of a close person such as parents, separation or divorce of parents, terrible accident, violence or rape and failure in an emotional relationship) - Low emotional intelligence - Excessive perfectionism (people with perfectionism constantly think about why there is a lack of work and things are progressing slowly or not progressing properly.) - Existence of uncontrollable stressful factors (unemployment, job insecurity, social insecurity and high cost) - Being in stressful situations ### **Is rumination a mental disorder?** Rumination is not officially recognized as an independent mental disorder in clinical classifications such as DSM-5, but it is considered as an inconsistent and problematic thought pattern in people's lives. **How to stop rumination with 8 golden methods?** In order to reduce the symptoms of rumination and treat this mental disorder, there are different ways and methods of treatment, one of which is to see a psychologist because the best person to diagnose all kinds of mental disorders is a specialist and a doctor. For a deeper understanding of scientific and practical solutions in the field of mental health, don't miss the exclusive podcast of Dr. Hossein Bayat, a prominent psychologist and university lecturer. With years of experience and expertise in diagnosing and treating psychological problems, Dr. Bayat guides you to a new world of mental health in this podcast. **The first session of rumination therapy** **The second session of rumination therapy** ### **1- Using mindfulness** Mindfulness, which is one of the stages of act psychology; which can help the person suffering from rumination and remove negative thoughts from the person's mind. By using mindfulness, a person finds the ability to accept and overcome negative and unpleasant thoughts instead of drowning in them. ### **2- Psychotherapy and referral to a psychologist** If rumination becomes severe and its negative effects are visible in your life, the best thing to do is to consult a psychologist. The therapist can find the reason and why of your problem and use it to treat the root of this disorder. Going to a psychologist and receiving therapy sessions is one of the best and first recommended ways to treat all kinds of mental disorders, and a high percentage of people have also improved; That is why it is the best way to treat rumination. ### **3- Writing negative thoughts** By writing down your negative thoughts, you can determine what you think about the most and organize them. Instead of repeating the same negative thoughts over and over again, break your thoughts into smaller chunks and plan to deal with each one, however small. Write these negative thoughts on a piece of paper and try to deal with it and think about it logically. This can help resolve your concerns and move you forward. ### **4- creating mental occupation** When you are ruminating, the best treatment is to have a distraction to distract you from the depths of negative thoughts. Activities such as talking with friends or family members, watching a movie, painting or drawing, reading a book, and walking and doing heavy exercise can distract your mind from negative thoughts. **To get an appointment, call 07136472719 and 09380578025.** ### **5- Change your life goals** Perfectionism and unrealistic goal setting can lead to fear or failure, which can lead to rumination. Unrealistic goals only cause; You constantly worry about why you didn't reach your goal and it causes rumination. Setting more realistic goals that you are capable of achieving can reduce the risks of overthinking your actions. ### **6- Increasing self-esteem and self-confidence** One of the best ways to treat rumination or even reduce this disorder that leads to the treatment of rumination; Increase self-confidence and self-esteem. Usually, people who go to the doctor and suffer from mental rumination have a lack of self-esteem, and by increasing self-esteem and self-confidence, you can control your rumination problem. Ways to increase self-confidence include: - Self care - Do things you enjoy and excel at - Praise yourself for your successes - Forgive yourself for your mistakes ### **7- Meditation** Meditation is one of the best treatments used for all kinds of mental disorders, and besides leading to the treatment of mental disorders, it can improve the quality of life. When you find yourself with a repetitive loop of thoughts in your mind, seek a quiet space. Sit down, take a deep breath and focus on your breathing. ### **8- Identification of stimuli** To identify your triggers and deal with them, you must first identify the situations and thoughts that increase your tendency to ruminate. The best way to do this is to ruminate at any time. Write down the place, the time, who is with you, what you are doing, and the trigger that caused you to ruminate. After getting to know the triggers, you can learn ways to deal with it and reduce rumination. ### **How to identify rumination?** Mental rumination is usually a type of thinking that is a symptom of anxiety disorders such as generalized anxiety disorder and depressive disorders and has a negative effect on the development of obsessive symptoms. People suffering from rumination think that by thinking a lot about an issue, they can prevent it from happening, or they can deal with it when it happens; But this thinking is wrong and they only cause disturbances in the daily and normal life of a person. By knowing the symptoms of rumination, it is possible to identify this disorder. 5 main and important symptoms of people suffering from mental rumination: 1. Rumination makes you lose control of the worries inside your mind. 2. Sometimes people with rumination do not understand the present time; And they constantly think about past or future events. 3. Types of sleep disorders are one of the symptoms of rumination. 4. These people usually behave like a detective and want to find a hidden meaning in every subject and issue. 5. They review their conversations with others many times and look for criticism of themselves or others. **Relationship between types of mental disorders and rumination** Although mental rumination is not considered a mental disorder by itself, it is closely related to a wide range of mental disorders and can lead to the aggravation and even occurrence of these disorders. These disorders include depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), stress, and phobia. In the following, we will examine more closely the relationship between mental rumination and each of these disorders and their effects. ### **Depression and rumination: a vicious cycle** The relationship between depression and rumination is a two-way relationship. People who suffer from depression suffer from mental rumination due to the frequent experience of negative thoughts and feelings of hopelessness. This mental rumination itself aggravates the symptoms of depression and traps the person in a vicious cycle of negative thoughts. These constant thoughts about past failures, unfulfilled expectations, and feelings of dissatisfaction with oneself cause periods of depression to last longer. Studies have shown that reducing symptoms of rumination can help significantly improve depression symptoms and allow a person to focus on positive changes in their life instead of focusing on negative thoughts. Treating depression without medication can reduce rumination and reduce the negative thoughts that come from rumination. ### **Mental rumination and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)** Although rumination and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) have many similarities, they differ in several ways. One of the most important differences is that obsession is recognized as a formal mental disorder, while rumination is more recognized as a maladaptive thought pattern. Obsessions include repetitive and uncontrollable thoughts that are accompanied by certain behaviors. A person with OCD is forced to perform certain behaviors to reduce their anxiety, such as washing hands or constantly checking things, but in rumination, the person is also involved in repetitive thoughts, but these thoughts do not directly lead to a specific behavior. However, rumination can increase the intensity of the obsession, so that people with OCD often return to their negative thoughts and feel unable to get rid of them. In general, lack of control over intrusive thoughts is the common denominator between rumination and obsession. One effective way to control these thoughts is to use neurofeedback obsessive-compulsive therapy, which helps people to effectively overcome intrusive thoughts. Finally, one of the common questions that arise in people's minds is what is the difference between rumination and obsession? The main difference is that in OCD, the repetitive thoughts lead to specific behaviors, while in rumination, these thoughts only persist in the person's mind and no specific behavior results from them. ### **Stress and anxiety: increasing negative thoughts** Mental rumination is one of the obvious symptoms of disorders related to stress and anxiety. People who struggle with chronic anxiety often engage in worrying and repetitive thoughts about the future and unpleasant possibilities. These thoughts can aggravate anxiety and increase stress. In other words, rumination acts as a trigger that helps perpetuate the cycle of anxiety. This cycle can severely weaken a person's mental health over time. People who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are more involved in mental rumination. In this case, a person constantly thinks about past bitter experiences, and these thoughts lead to the return of painful memories and stress. Failure to treat stress and anxiety with appropriate techniques, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) or neurofeedback, can cause a person to get stuck in an endless cycle of negative thoughts, which ultimately leads to a person's psychological collapse. ### **Mental rumination and phobia: uncontrollable fears** A specific phobia is defined as an intense and irrational fear of a specific object, situation, or condition. Mental rumination in people with phobias occurs specifically in the form of repetitive and uncontrollable thoughts about fearful factors. For example, a person with a fear of closed spaces (claustrophobia) may constantly think about what would happen if they got stuck in an elevator. These repetitive thoughts can lead to the aggravation of phobias and increased anxiety. **Destructive effects of rumination on humans** The effects of mental rumination in different stages of this mental disorder may be different. Some people may experience little to no discomfort in chronic rumination, but those who experience the disorder severely may experience dangerous and disturbing effects. In the following, the following effects are examined: 1. **Increased blood pressure:** One of the side effects of rumination is increased blood pressure, which if not given enough importance, may increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases. 2. **Decreasing the level of activity of people:** People with rumination have less desire to do daily activities. During this disorder, too much thinking and analysis may replace actual action and these inevitable effects affect their daily life. 3. **Observing masochistic or self-destructive thoughts:** Rumination is effective in reducing self-confidence and increasing self-destructive thoughts. These two factors can cause masochistic thoughts and self-harm. 4. Creating stress in a person: One of the first side effects of rumination is an increase in stress in a person, which can lead to a sharp increase in rumination. Also, research shows that stress can be the underlying factor for the occurrence of physical diseases that may be considered as a subset of rumination complications. **Can rumination be treated without medication?** Rumination is one of the common mental problems that can have many negative effects on a person's quality of life. Many people seek non-pharmacological treatments to manage and reduce these intrusive thoughts. One of the new and effective methods in this field is neurofeedback, which is specifically used to reduce rumination. Neurofeedback is a non-pharmacological treatment that helps a person to observe and control their brain activities with the help of advanced technologies. In this method, using electroencephalography (EEG) signals, a person can observe their brain patterns and learn how to change them. These changes can help reduce rumination, as neurofeedback allows a person to actively control their thoughts and mental patterns. Can rumination be treated without medication? The answer to this question is positive. Using methods such as Neurofeedback and Loretta Neurofeedback, people can effectively reduce their rumination without the need for medication. Non-pharmacological treatments such as neurofeedback are a suitable option, especially for those looking for natural methods without side effects. In fact, neurofeedback can help people who suffer from intrusive thoughts to steer their minds in the right direction instead of getting stuck in a cycle of negative thoughts and overcome rumination by becoming more aware and in control of their brain activity. This method is especially useful for people who want to be treated without drugs. **When should you see a doctor for rumination?** If you only review and repeat your thoughts sometimes, you may not need to see a doctor. People who can control their thoughts using strategies such as exercise or mindfulness may not need medical help. However, since this condition may indicate a mental disorder, it is recommended that you investigate this issue as seriously as possible. If you observe the following rumination symptoms, it is better to see a psychiatrist: Your daily life is affected and you have lost the ability to perform daily tasks. Also, inability to concentrate and feeling happy is also observed. - To control your thoughts, you have turned to complicated and difficult tasks. - The symptoms of your mental disorders have greatly increased. - You experience thoughts related to suicide or harming yourself. **Summary** Rumination is a complex mental pattern that, if not controlled in time, can severely affect a person's mental health. This thought pattern, especially in interaction with disorders such as depression, anxiety, obsession and stress, can cause more problems for a person. Fortunately, psychological treatments such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, neurofeedback, and expert counseling help people get out of this negative cycle and achieve healthier and more positive thought patterns. If you too suffer from rumination, it's time to take action to change. Working with an experienced psychologist can put you on the road to recovery and help you gain more control over your mind and emotions. If you want to break free from rumination and calm your mind, start practicing simple mindfulness exercises today. To receive advice and practical solutions that will help you get out of rumination, contact the best psychology center and Loretta Neurofeedback in Shiraz managed by Dr. Hossein Bayat and join the group of people who have saved their lives from mental pressure. Source used in this article: Reflection on Rumination: Consequences, Causes, Mechanisms, and Treatment of Rumination **Frequently Asked Questions** **1\_ What is rumination?** This disorder means analyzing, analyzing and thinking too much about negative experiences and feelings that may have happened to us in the past. **2\_ There is a two-way relationship between this disease and which mental disorders?** Mental disorders such as severe depression, stress and anxiety, obsession and schizophrenia can be caused by intense mental rumination and can also cause mental rumination. **3\_ How can rumination be treated using act psychology?** Mindfulness is one of the stages of act psychology that makes the mind think about the present and accept unpleasant thoughts and pass it.