Have you ever felt like you are stuck on your thoughts, going over and over the same thing in your mind without a solution and ending up just feeling worse. If yes, you are not alone, and there is even a name to explain what you are doing. This is called rumination. Rumination can be defined as unhelpful, repetitive negative thinking and is actually a symptom of a lot of mental disorders like depression and anxiety. 

Examples may include overthinking an interaction with a co-worker, wondering if what you said was dumb, if they thought you were being annoying, etc. in the end, you end up going into a dark whole of second guessing and what ifs when in reality the original thought was perhaps not as significant or worthy of so much of your energy. 

But now you know what it is, and that you are not alone. Also know that rumination is an issue that has been and continues to be researched, and experts have found some ways of helping you get out of those spiraling thought patterns. 

• Identify when you are ruminating: 

• 1. This step might seem simple but it is the most important one. By understanding that you are ruminating, you can more easily snap out of it. Understand that right now you are going around in circles and becoming more and more negative, therefore you can move on to the next step and try to stop the pattern.

• Distraction:

1. 1. 1. After understanding that you are ruminating, think of an activity or exercise that will take you away from your head. This is specific to you, so just keep trying different things until you find what’s best for you.
      2. Distractions can be listening to music, watching a short video, deep breathing, going on a walk, or even cleaning your room. 

If this post resonates with you, leave a comment and tell us more about your experiences, and helpful tips that you have to give others who feel the same way.