Rumination
Repetitive, passive thinking about negative emotions, their causes, and consequences without taking action.
Also known as: Overthinking, Dwelling, Mental ruminating
Category: Concepts
Tags: psychology, mental-health, thinking, cognition, well-being
Explanation
Rumination is the tendency to repetitively dwell on negative thoughts, feelings, and experiences without moving toward solutions. Unlike productive reflection (which leads to insight and action), rumination is passive, circular thinking that amplifies negative emotions. It's strongly linked to depression and anxiety. Rumination involves the default mode network becoming stuck in self-focused processing, often rehearsing past failures or worrying about future problems. It feels like problem-solving but actually prevents it by keeping us stuck in abstract, negative thinking rather than concrete action. Breaking rumination requires: recognizing when it's happening, interrupting the cycle (through activity, social connection, or attention shifting), challenging negative interpretations, and moving toward action or acceptance. Journaling can help by externalizing thoughts, though it should lead to conclusions rather than endless processing.
Related Concepts
← Back to all concepts