How to Stop Ruminating – The New York Times

Divert your attention. One of the most effective things you can do when your thoughts spiral out of control is to distract yourself, Dr. Siegle said. In a study published in 2011, for example, researchers found that when socially anxious students redirected their attention using word reordering exercises shortly after giving a three-minute speech, they felt more positive about how their presentation was going than those who performed a guided negative rumination session. In another study starting in 2008, 60 students were asked to recall events in their lives when they had felt lonely, sad, rejected or hurt. Then they were told to spend eight minutes ruminating, focusing on mindfulness prompts, or distracting themselves with random thoughts and observations. Rumination prolonged negative moods, while distraction dampened them. Mindfulness neither helped nor worsened their mood.

“Listening to music and focusing intensely on the words or melody” can also help you get out of your thoughts — at least temporarily, Dr. Marks said. Other diversionary tactics like talking with a friend, playing a game, or exercising can also help.

Avoid your triggers. If watching a Hallmark movie conjures up overwhelming memories of losing a family member, or if scrolling through social media leads to an unhealthy fixation on your appearance, avoiding these triggers can help interrupt those thoughts, says Jodie Louise. Russell, a doctoral student studying the philosophy of rumination in depression and anxiety at the University of Edinburgh. Use “mute”, “block”, “unfollow”, or “not interested” functions liberally on social media, or avoid the internet or certain types of media altogether if you find they do more harm than good.

Set a worry timer. When you ruminate, it’s possible to get stuck in a negative feedback loop where you feel bad about ruminating, which in itself can lead to more rumination and deeper feelings of distress. Periodically setting aside 10-30 minutes of dedicated “worry or rumination time” can help relieve this pressure. Even just giving yourself permission to ruminate can help you feel more relaxed, Dr. Siegle said.

Adding an activity like writing in your journal can also be cathartic and help clarify and defuse your emotions, Dr. Marks said.

Immerse yourself in the moment. Sometimes people ruminate on things that have happened in the past or will happen in the future, and have no immediate solutions. To get out of this unproductive thought pattern, Dr. Marks said, take a moment to notice everything that’s going on around you, such as, “What do you see in front of you? What is the temperature in the room? Is there anything you can smell in the air? Take whatever experience you find yourself in and immerse yourself completely.

Serious rumination may require therapy

While the above strategies may be helpful for some people, those who ruminate and also have certain mental illnesses (such as severe OCD) will need more stringent intervention, some experts have said. If your rumination reaches an almost constant state, it would be unrealistic for you to try to be distracted or attentive all the time, Dr. Greenberg said, like constantly trying to swat a fly or hold a balloon underwater. .