Rumination is a thought processing disorder linked to anxiety and other mental health disorders. Learn more about rumination by examining common myths and misconceptions.
Ruminationrefers to the thought process ofrepetitively thinkingabout something emotional. Because rumination is linked to manymental disorders, it is important tounderstand what ruminationis. We will examine five commonrumination mythsto learn important factsabout ruminating thoughts.
1. Myth: Ruminating thoughts are always detrimental.
Fact: Ruminating thoughts can be positive and beneficial.
Negative thinking canleadto depression and anxiety.Negative ruminationis the repetitive focus on thoughts that cause sad and negative emotions. On the other hand,positive ruminationis characterized by focusing on repetitive thoughts that trigger feelings of good emotions. Reliving how happy a good moment feels is an example of positive rumination. Positive ruminations can beprotectiveagainst depressive symptoms andbuild confidence. Further,decreasing broodingand increasing positive rumination may improve depressive symptoms.
2. Myth: Rumination is always indicative of an underlying mental health condition.
Fact: Some degree of rumination is normal.
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Rumination may be normal if it is not interfering with life. Normal rumination is temporary and distractible, and can also be both positive and negative. Unfortunately, negativerumination is part of everyanxietydisorder. Depression is alsoassociated withruminating thoughts. People withdepressiontend to ruminateabout themes that raise anxiety. This heightened anxiety interferes with function and further increases depression. Individuals withpost-traumatic stress disorderandobsessive-compulsive disorderalso tend to ruminate more than usual.
3. Myth: Rumination is a rare condition.
Fact: Everyone ruminates.
Rumination is extremely common. Everyone has experienced ruminating thoughts at some time in their lives. It’s normal to have positive and negative ruminations. Thus, it is difficult to determinerumination statistics.
However, it is known that the frequency of ruminationhigherin those with depression and anxiety, and it can also bepredictiveof depression and anxiety. Additionally,women and girlsare more prone to mental illness and this is partly because they are more likely to ruminate than men and boys.
4. Myth: Rumination gets worse with age.
Fact: Children and older individuals ruminate the least.
Rumination is not common in children. Because pre-adolescent brains have not yet developed the skills needed for rumination, ruminating thoughts tend to be first observed inadolescence. At this age, rumination is fueled by feelings of anger, sadness, and anxiety. From there, rates of rumination increase, with the highest levels of ruminators being under the age of 25. Rates of rumination then begin to decline with age.Older adults, those 63 and older, ruminate the least. It is thought that greater life satisfaction protects older adults from rumination.
5. Myth: Ruminating thoughts are impossible to control.
Fact: It is possible to conquer debilitating rumination.
Ruminative thought patterns develop early in life. Learninghow to stop ruminating thoughtsis possible. Stopping rumination involves breaking the habit of negative cyclical thoughts. Distraction, planning, meditation, and therapy are a few of the actions that help stop ruminating thoughts.
It is also common to try to cope with rumination by turning to binge behavior, such asbinge drinkingorbinge eating. If you are turning to alcohol or substances to deal with ruminating thoughts,The Recovery Villagecan help. We have comprehensivetreatment plansthat can help with co-occurring addictions and mental health disorders.Reach outtoday for more information.
