On this episode of Being Well, Forrest and I spell out what rumination is, where it comes from, and how it functions in the brain. We then explore what practices and strategies we can use to identify rumination when it comes up, and how to disrupt obsessive thoughts and move through them compassionately and effectively.
It’s normal and healthy for us to try to process our experiences emotionally, but sometimes during that process we find ourselves getting stuck on the same painful memory, anxiety, or disturbing thought. This frustrating experience, known as rumination, is a common psychological challenge that is both discouraging and unhelpful.
Rumination Course: Rick’s 5-week online course Breaking Out of Rumination starts on March 29th. Rumination is a big pain point for many people, and this course will help you learn how to break repetitive patterns of thought. Learn more at RickHanson.com/ruminating, and use coupon code BeingWell25 to receive a 25% discount.
Key Topics:
- 0:00: Introduction
- 2:25: How do we define rumination?
- 7:45: What do we get out of rumination?
- 13:30: Distinguishing rumination from grieving
- 16:30: Where rumination comes from in people
- 18:40: The default mode network
- 22:30: Ways to disengage the default mode network
- 25:50: Strange attractors, Krishna, and the Gopis
- 30:35: Thought acceptance and noting
- 33:15: Recurring themes of your rumination
- 37:10: Novelty
- 38:45: Self-constructing invites rumination, self-acceptance undermines it
- 47:05: A quick walkthrough for dealing with a negative thought
- 53:00: Recap
