How to Stop Rumination with CBT
Did I do that right? What are they thinking about me? I must have forgotten something. What am I going to do now?
When your thoughts cycle over and over without resolving, it’s called rumination. You may tend to ruminate about a particular topic, or it may seem that you can’t stop thinking in general.
In a moment, we’ll talk about an important treatment called cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and how it helps with rumination. Keep reading for strategies on how to stop rumination with CBT.
What Is Rumination?
Rumination is different from processing, which helps you come to a natural conclusion. When you ruminate, it causes more and more stress without leading to relief. In some cases, it can even cause intense physical discomfort, which just leads to more rumination!
Common areas that people ruminate about include:
- Social acceptance or feeling judged by others
- Second-guessing conversations or texts
- Work projects and job security
- School grades or tests
- Keeping up with responsibilities
- Money and expenses
- Romantic relationships
- What authority figures think of you (teachers, bosses)
- A general fear of failure
Most people worry about these areas from time to time. However, if you feel stuck in such thoughts, as if your brain is on a never-ending loop, it’s more than typical stress.
Problems such as anxiety or depression can lead to rumination. It’s also a common trait associated with ADHD who sometimes focus on the negative more than the positive.
Fortunately, there’s one type of therapy that’s shown to help. Rather than feeling stuck in a cycle of stressful thoughts, you can begin to feel more relaxed and at peace.
How CBT helps with rumination
CBT (the therapy I mentioned) is often used to help with rumination and related stress and anxiety. In fact, some studies have found that even brief practice with CBT can make a long-term difference.
CBT includes a set of techniques used by therapists, as well as individuals on their own, to begin to question negative thoughts. For example, if you tend to think negatively about yourself, as many people do, CBT can help you challenge such thoughts and see yourself more realistically.
How to Stop Rumination With CBT: Strategies
Here are some specific CBT strategies you can use to help with rumination.
- Practice mindfulness
Many CBT-based therapies include mindfulness these days, and with good reason. While it may seem that you’re already too much in your head with rumination, mindfulness is much different. It’s a way to slow down and be in the actual moment rather than thinking about the past or present.
To get started, begin with a simple breathing exercise. Close your eyes and notice your breath coming in and out for a few moments. Doing this, even for a handful of seconds, can help interrupt a rumination cycle.
If you find mindfulness beneficial, there are many apps and videos online to help you learn more.
- Challenge your thoughts
Rumination usually involves worry and negative predictions about the future. However, many of our negative thoughts and anxieties are not based in fact. Is it possible that your negative experiences in the past are shading the way you see the current situation?
Perhaps you’re not giving yourself enough credit for your talents and abilities. Perhaps you’re judging yourself or others without giving them a real chance. If you were an unbiased bystander, would you see the situation in a different way?
By beginning to question your thoughts rather than taking them as facts, you can interrupt patterns of rumination.
- Distract your mind
Rumination can be a type of avoidance where you use worry as a crutch instead of actually facing a problem or situation. And as a CBT therapist, I’m pretty big on facing your fears and anxieties.
But over time, rumination can go beyond avoidance and become a habit. You may develop it as a coping skill, even though it’s not a particularly helpful one.
In this case, distracting yourself may be in order. Each time you find yourself ruminating, distract yourself with an activity. It might be something you enjoy doing or simply a daily task you need to get done.
Examples include taking a walk, putting in a load of dishes, reading a chapter of a book you enjoy, or asking a friend about their day. Experiment to see which distractions work best for you.
Over time you might be able to change the habit. It may be that you still need to challenge your underlying thoughts or work through a situation, but your brain will be more free to do that in a healthier way with fewer obsessive thoughts.
- Try new things
One traditional technique in CBT is called a behavioral experiment. It’s when you challenge your assumptions by testing them out in real life.
For example, if you tend to ruminate about not being able to get through a social situation, try it out anyway. Begin with easier activities. Perhaps you can go to an organized event, such as a game night, where not as much small talk is expected.
Once you build up more positive experiences, your rumination may ease up.
You can also explore new hobbies and activities in general. When you have more positive things to occupy your mind, you may find less need to focus on the negative. Examples include learning to bake, joining a book club, or restoring old cars.
- Keep a thought-record
Some people find writing to be particularly helpful when it comes to mental health, and it’s often used in CBT therapy. One technique called a thought-record may help you pick out your negative thoughts.
You might start with a chart that lists a situation, your thoughts, how you felt, and what a more helpful thought might be. Here’s an example:
Situation: My friend ghosted me while we were texting
Thought: I must have ticked them off; I’m always messing up; they must hate me
Feeling: Shame, anger
Possible new thought: They mentioned they were busy, so maybe they got distracted or interrupted. That happens to me sometimes.
If you were to reconsider your initial negative thoughts, like in the example above, do you think you might feel differently? Keeping track of your thoughts and challenging them is a great way to make use of CBT techniques.
Find the Right Support
If you find that rumination is taking over your life, you may need professional help to interrupt the cycle. A CBT therapist can help you identify core issues or patterns and create a plan to work on them. Look for a local therapist or one online who specializes in CBT or related treatments.
Sources
Hofmann, S. G., & Gómez, A. F. (2017). Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Anxiety and Depression. The Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 40(4), 739–749.
Jennie Lannette Bedsworth, MSW, LCSW
Senior Contributor
Jennie Lannette Bedsworth, MSW, LCSW, is a licensed clinical social worker specializing in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), PTSD treatment, and mental health education. She has a rich background in mental health, with experience in inpatient, outpatient, and community services.
