Have you ever face before a night where you keep on thinking about something and can't fall asleep?
It caused you insomnia and in the end you can't find a solution towards it.
You might be ruminating without you knowing it…
Here's some of the symptoms of rumination:
And the following article will be able to help you sort things out when you start practicing the awesome tips that we shared.
What is rumination?
Has your head ever been filled with one single thought, or a string of thoughts, that just keep repeating… and repeating… and repeating themselves?
The process of continuously thinking about the same thoughts, which tend to be sad or dark, is called “rumination.”
A habit of rumination can be dangerous to your mental health as it can prolong or intensify depression as well as impair your ability to think and process emotions. It may also cause you to feel isolated and can, in reality, push people away.
What causes ruminating?
People ruminate for a variety of reasons. According to the American Psychological Association, some common reasons for rumination include:
- belief that by ruminating, you’ll gain insight into your life or a problem
- having a history of emotional or physical trauma
- facing ongoing stressors that can’t be controlled
Ruminating is also common in people who possess certain personality characteristics, which include perfectionism, neuroticism, and an excessive focus on one’s relationships with others.
You might have a tendency to overvalue your relationships with others so much that you will make large personal sacrifices to maintain your relationships, even if they’re not working for you.
Tips for addressing ruminating thoughts
Once you get stuck in a ruminating thought cycle, it can be hard to get out of it. If you do enter a cycle of such thoughts, it’s important to stop them as quickly as possible to prevent them from becoming more intense.
As when a ball is rolling downhill, it’s easier to stop the ruminating thoughts when they first start rolling and have less speed than when they’ve gathered speed over time.
So, what can you do to stop these obsessive thoughts from running through your mind?
Here are 10 tips to try when you begin to experience the same thought or set of thoughts swirling around your head:
1. Distract yourself
When you realize you’re starting to ruminate, finding a distraction can break your thought cycle. Look around you, quickly choose something else to do, and don’t give it a second thought. Consider:
- calling a friend or family member
- doing chores around your house
- watching a movie
- drawing a picture
- reading a book
- walking around your neighborhood
2. Plan to take action
Instead of repeating the same negative thought over and over again, take that thought and make a plan to take action to address it.
In your head, outline each step you need to take to address the problem, or write it down on a piece of paper. Be as specific as possible and also realistic with your expectations.
Doing this will disrupt your rumination. It will also help you move forward in the attempt to get a negative thought out of your head once and for all.