distract attention. One of the most effective things you can do when your thoughts are out of control is distraction, says Dr. Siegle.of One study published in 2011For example, researchers found that college students with social anxiety who used a word-rearranging exercise to redirect their attention immediately after giving a three-minute speech were more likely than those who underwent a guided negative rumination session. , found that they felt more positive about how the presentation went.of another study Beginning in 2008, 60 college students were asked to recall life events when they felt lonely, sad, rejected, or hurt. Next, they were told to spend eight minutes ruminating, focusing on mindfulness prompts, or distracting themselves with random thoughts and observations. Distraction eased them. Mindfulness neither improved nor worsened their mood.
“Listening to music and focusing on words and tunes” can also help you get out of your thoughts, at least temporarily, Dr. Marks said. Other distraction tactics such as talking to friends, playing games, and exercising can also help.
Avoid triggers. If watching a Hallmark movie brings back overwhelming memories of losing a family member, or if scrolling through social media triggers an unhealthy obsession with your appearance, avoiding these triggers can help. Such thoughts can be suspended, says doctoral student Jody Louise Russell. study the philosophy of Rumination of Depression and Anxiety at the University of Edinburgh. Feel free to use the ‘mute’, ‘block’, ‘unfollow’ or ‘not interested’ features on social media or that the internet or certain types of media do more harm than good If you find , avoid them completely.
Set a worry timer. Ruminating can lead to negative feedback loops where rumination itself is bad. Periodically he can take the pressure off by setting aside 10 to 30 minutes of “worry and rumination time.” Even the simple act of giving yourself permission to ruminate can help you feel more relaxed, Dr. Siegle said.
Adding activities such as writing in a journal can also be cathartic and help clarify and defuse emotions, Dr. Marks said.
Immerse yourself in the moment. People may ruminate on things that have happened in the past or will happen in the future, but there are no immediate solutions. To get out of that unproductive thought pattern, Dr. Marks said, take the time to pay attention to everything that’s going on around you. What is the room temperature? Can you smell anything in the air? No matter what your experience is, you will be fully immersed. ”
Severe rumination may require treatment
While the above strategies may be helpful for some people, some experts believe that people who ruminate and suffer from certain mental illnesses (such as severe OCD) may need more controlled interventions. When rumination becomes a near-constant state, it’s unrealistic to constantly try to distract or pay attention, Dr. Greenberg said.
