Are You Ruminating?
Do You Feel Stuck in Your Head?
Do you ever feel stuck in your head? Maybe you cycle through the same problem again and again. But, somehow, you never find a satisfying solution.
If that feels familiar, you are not alone.
What Is Rumination?
This behavior is called rumination. This is the process of analyzing, planning, and trying to urgently solve an issue. But, how often does that analysis lead to a real result? Often, it leads to nothing but anxiety.
It can be frustrating. We often feel dissociated, detached from reality. Rather than being helpful, ruminating can trap us. Rumination feels like an overwhelming whirlpool, an involuntary cycle.
Therapy Helps Rebuild Mindfulness
But, therapy can slowly bring back mindfulness.
When we work with patients, we begin by building awareness on rumination. We identify this process when it comes up, and relentlessly name it.
“Oh! This is rumination. It’s happening right now.”
Body Awareness and the Thought Spiral
In therapy, we also build bodily awareness. We will practice being mindful of our bodies to identify the sensation. Often, the feeling of urgency or panic accompanies the thought spiral. By catching either the feeling or the thoughts, we can recognize it.
Interrupting the Cycle
Once we can identify these, we can interrupt it. While it feels involuntary, rumination is an active process. Like solving a math problem, we are engaging it. So, our next goal is disengaging from rumination. It can be hard in the beginning, but we can build tools that help.
Tools to Break Free from Rumination
- Trigger cues to break the cycle
- Thought framing techniques to reorient focus
- Externalizing thoughts to reduce their intensity
By practicing these in session, we can wield a weapon to cut through the ruminatory process. Together, we can find the specific tools that work best for you.
You’re Not Alone—Relief Is Possible
Rumination may feel overwhelming, but it is not hopeless. Together, we can regain a sense of control.
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