Rumination is one of the most problematic cognitive symptoms associated with depression.
Rumination is one of the co-occurring symptoms found both in anxiety disorders and depression. It is often a primary symptom in Obsessive-compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder. When people are depressed, the themes of rumination are typically about being inadequate or worthless.
Rumination is commonly associated with depression. As clinical psychologist Dr. Suma Chand writes for the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. “Research shows that people who ruminate are more likely to develop depression compared to those who don't.”
Importantly, however, rumination is not only related to depression, but is involved in the development and/or maintenance of a broad range of disorders, including post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety disorders, insomnia, eating disorders, somatic symptom disorder, and substance use disorders2, 3.
Rumination syndrome is a condition in which people repeatedly and unintentionally spit up (regurgitate) undigested or partially digested food from the stomach, rechew it, and then either reswallow it or spit it out. Because the food hasn't yet been digested, it reportedly tastes normal and isn't acidic, as vomit is.
The first records of ruminate come from the 1500s. It derives from the Latin verb rūmināre, meaning “to chew the cud.” Rūmināre comes from the Latin rūmen, which gives us the English rumen—the first of four compartments in the stomach of ruminant animals.
Finding a pleasurable activity or distraction often helps break the cycle of rumination. Using some of your own unique interests or self care can help find something that works for you. Mindfulness is a mediation practice that focuses on paying attention to your thoughts.
Medication. If frequent rumination is damaging the esophagus, proton pump inhibitors such as esomeprazole (Nexium) or omeprazole (Prilosec) may be prescribed. These medications can protect the lining of the esophagus until behavior therapy reduces the frequency and severity of regurgitation.
Abstract. Objective: To increase the knowledge of rumination and its associations with stressful events, we explored the relationships between 4 types of rumination (brooding, reflection, intrusive, and deliberate rumination) in a sample of 750 adult participants who experienced a highly stressful event.
Because rumination is commonly seen in people who experience depression and anxiety, some people with these two disorders may also experience rumination at some point in their lives.
At its core, rumination is a coping mechanism. It's a way of responding to stress by repeatedly focusing on the source of distress. One theory states that people tend to engage in repetitive thinking about the nature of their difficulties.
Rumination occurs when you have constant and repetitive thoughts about something; typically, a problem or situation. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, rumination is defined as “obsessive thinking about an idea, situation, or choice especially when it interferes with normal mental functioning.”
A key difference between worry and rumination is that worry is concerned with danger whilst rumination is concerned with loss, hopelessness and failure. Rumination occurs in the context of sadness, disappointment, loss and depression.
Therapies for conditions like O.C.D., anxiety and certain types of depression — which can include cognitive behavioral therapy, antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, light therapy or writing out your feelings — are all useful in reducing rumination, he said.
Rumination is a repetitive thought pattern that can be negative (focusing on the past) or anxious (focusing on the future). It is common in people with ADHD and can cause emotional distress. It's not the same as overthinking, which is when someone excessively thinks about simple things before taking action.
An alternative is to try the 5 minute rule: when you notice you are dwelling on a problem, keep going for 5 minutes. Then if it hasn't helped, do something else. Ask yourself, is there some fear around that something bad might happen if you stopped?
Rumination is associated with the worsening of negative mood states, greater affective responding to negative material, and increased access to negative memories.
Rumination is a behavior and not a mental health condition. It's a common symptom in anxiety and mood disorders, though. But it doesn't have to be permanent. You can learn to manage it.
Some common ruminations or obsessive thoughts include the following: Obsessive thoughts regarding cleanliness. Fear of harming someone. Disturbing thoughts of inappropriate sexual activities.
Given a range of definitions as well as numerous clinical facets, rumination is generally described as a form of perseverative cognitive processing. While present in a number of psychiatric syndromes, rumination also appears to influence some somatic syndromes such as perceptions of health.
“People who are depressed and anxious tend to show this pattern of thinking more often,” Wilding said. For instance, research has shown a connection between rumination and depression.
Ruminating is worsened by another difficulty of the depressed and anxious brain—an inability to flexibly generate solutions. Brain chemistry makes it hard to switch to another perspective to find the way out of problems, so rumination intensifies. Both anxiety and depression are then reinforced.