You Can Stop Ruminating By Doing These Two Things

Subscribe for More Videos The figurative definition of "ruminate" is "to run a thought over and over in your mind". The literal definition is "for cows to chew their food over and over". Rumination is not a diagnosis in and of itself. We see it in anxiety and depression. People getting stuck in their thoughts and feeling stuck in their negative mental states often ruminate about questions like, "Why do I get the short end of the stick all the time?" or "Why can't I just be happy like everyone else?". The ruminations that induce anxiety are often concerned about the past, such as analyzing past incidents and wondering what kind of impression they left or what they meant by it. You didn't think much of it at the time, but you start thinking about it at the end of the day and it has a completely different meaning (and it's usually negative). The repetitive, unhelpful, negative thinking is the same as when you deconstruct a past incident to understand it and learn from it. You're not stuck thinking only about the negative aspects of a situation, as you're analyzing the past constructively. Why does this happen? It's believed to be due to the activation of the Default Mode Network. It is the Default Mode Network that controls stimulus-independent behavior that I discuss in a video I did on mindfulness and depression. In other words, it's the part of your brain that controls what you think when you're not focused on something. The Default Mode Network in your brain becomes more active when you're ruminating. MRI scans of brain activity show that ruminating leads to a feeling of misery. How’s this different from intrusive thoughts? Intrusive thoughts are thoughts that appear without your permission when you’re trying not to. You may try to ignore them, but they bring you down and interrupt your mind flow. In contrast, rumination is the act of sitting and brooding over thoughts. Despite the fact that they make you feel bad, you are not working very hard to avoid them. In fact, you may even welcome them in some cases, as some people feel the need to think about these issues. Having problems with this? You could spend more time being mindful. Being mindful means being completely in the moment without judgment. In this situation, you have dependent thought, because you're actively paying attention to something. Your Default Mode Network, where you ruminate, is now off. Check out this video I did on mindfulness. I also have a body scan audio download that goes along with it. In addition, you can develop an If/Then Action Plan. First, you create a list of outward signs that you're ruminating. And second, you create a list of how you're feeling at the time. Since you can lose yourself in your own head, you may not always be aware of what you're feeling. Take note of your outward signs, so that you can recognize when you are in this state, such as rocking, fidgeting, feeling your heart race, getting a headache, etc. As soon as you notice you're ruminating, you'll want to come up with a plan for what you're going to do. So you'll turn to an activity that will distract you. Gratitude journaling or listening to guided meditations might be relaxing activities. For example, you could go for a walk, or if you like grocery shopping, go shopping for groceries. Depending on what you're doing, it could be a problem-solving activity. For example, if you have a ton of responsibilities, your mind might start ruminating about worst case scenarios. To begin, reserve time for brainstorming. Then, you can use these two pieces of information to make your If/Then statements. Getting it off your mind is a must now that you want to make it official. You don't want to keep it all in your head — after all, you are trying to escape your head. There are apps such as Calm and Headspace where you can listen to guided meditations if you notice you're experiencing tension in your neck. I will go outside if I start feeling dizzy and nauseous, or practice some yoga poses if I start feeling lightheaded or nauseous." For each of those signs, you may want to choose two or three activities you can do, so there is some variety, because you'll want to cover all of your rumination triggers. There is nothing complex about this simple exercise that can help distract you from your ruminations, but it is perhaps a behavioral technique to deal with them. https://bit.ly/39cpSCW https://bit.ly/39cBxSh Disclaimer -All of the information is for educational purposes and not intended to be specific/personal medical advice from me to you. If you have your own doctor, perhaps these videos can help prepare you for your discussion with your doctor.