More is involved in rumination than just thinking about something too much. That type of thinking repeatedly takes its toll on emotions, often resulting in anxiety and depression. If you’ve ever struggled with “what ifs” or thought about the past a lot, many people go through the same thing. We guide people at Austin Bridges Therapy to notice and handle their inner ruminations so they can recover clarity and inner peace.
Table of Contents
- What is Rumination?
- How meditation Differs from Reflection
- Common Triggers of Rumination
- The Impact on Mental Health
- meditation and Anxiety
- meditation and Depression
- How Therapy Can Help
- Tools to Manage meditation
- When to Seek Help
- Start Healing with Austin Bridges Therapy
1. What Is Rumination?
Rumination means a person keeps thinking about the same upsetting, baffling or unsettled topic. You can think about:
- Past mistakes
- Relationship conflicts
- Regrets
- Anxiety about what is to come
Unlike solving problems, ruminating on things doesn’t result in solutions. Instead, it increases stress and interferes with how we cope properly.
2. How Rumination Differs from Reflection
Reflection teaches us from our past, but rumination should be differentiated from it. Reflecting on your experiences helps you get better. Thinking about the same issue again and again can be both tiring and distressing.
For example:
- Reflection: “What can I do differently next time?”
- Rumination: “Why did I mess up? I always make mistakes.”
3. Common Triggers of Rumination
Certain situations and personality traits can make people more prone to ruminating:
- Social rejection or embarrassment
- High perfectionism
- Childhood trauma
- Ongoing stress or burnout
- Unresolved conflicts
We help you recognise what is causing these mental loops and assist you in developing better ways of thinking.
4. The Impact on Mental Health
Excessive worrying can have a big impact on your general mental health and happiness. Among the main consequences are:
- Increased anxiety
- Lowered self-esteem
- Insomnia or poor sleep
- Lack of focus and concentration
- Greater risk of depression
With time, you might find yourself ruminating so often that it’s harder to look at your thoughts from a different angle or get rid of them.
5. Rumination and Anxiety
Feeling anxious makes your brain ready to find things that could be dangerous. If you add meditation, you can’t escape the thoughts of different scenarios turning over in your head.
Example:
- “What if I fail?”
- “What if they don’t like me?”
- “What if something bad happens?”
At our therapy centre, we instruct you in mindfulness-based cognitive methods to stop the cycle and help you stay in the present.
6. Rumination and Depression
Depression commonly makes people ruminate on how much they’ve blamed themselves and how hopeless everything seems to them.
- “Why can’t I be happy?”
- “What’s wrong with me?”
- “I’ll never get better.”
Our therapists teach us Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), which both work to transform our negative thoughts and promote healing.
7. How Therapy Can Help
Rumination doesn’t only affect you negatively—it’s a habit that can be treated in therapy. We assist clients with their needs at Austin Bridges Therapy.
- Recognise the ways of thinking that cause you to ruminate.
- Change those negative thoughts with more positive ones.
- Learn relaxation and grounding techniques.
- Build emotional resilience
- Set boundaries around triggers.
If you struggle with anxiety, trauma or low self-esteem, therapy creates space to talk about and change your thoughts.
8. Tools to Manage Rumination
You can try these therapist-suggested tools right now:
- Mindfulness: Try to be aware of what is happening now by practising breathing or body scan exercises.
- Thought Journaling: Record your recurring thoughts on paper and then check to see if they truly make sense.
- Time-limited Worrying: Schedule 15 minutes a day to worry using a timer and then don’t dwell on it any longer.
- Physical Activity: A physical activity can stop your mind from going over the same thoughts.
- Guided Meditation: Take a quick break from your thoughts by using Calm or Headspace.
Still struggling? They work most effectively when you hire a professional to help.
9. When to Seek Help
You should consider seeing a therapist for meditation if:
- Your thoughts keep you up at night
- You’re stuck in the same mental loops daily.
- meditation is affecting your relationships.
- You’re feeling hopeless or overwhelmed.
- You’re using unhealthy coping methods like substance use or isolation.
Don’t wait until you’re in a crisis. Early support can change your trajectory.
10. Start Healing with Austin Bridges Therapy
When you’re ready to overcome your tendency to overthink, Austin Bridges Therapy will be by your side. We have trained professionals on our team who focus on anxiety, depression, trauma, and issues connected to stress, including meditation.
Our services are welcoming, trusting, and directed toward what clients need, and you can choose whether to be seen in person or online from home.
Take the first action to experience peace of mind.
Get in touch with us now to book your appointment and start working on mental and emotional balance.