Rumination

[jimited]

Do many of you ruminate much? I ruminate quite a lot and it is currently taking its toll on me. If I am not ruminating about one thing, it is something else. It causes me to isolate myself and makes me irritable.
Has anyone got any good tips to help control it? When I was in therapy, my therapist said it was quite normal for someone with aspergers but that was not a lot of help.

 

[ksheehan88]

All day. Every day. I actually just had to look up the meaning of that word because I've never heard it before - soon as I saw the definition I was like "Yep!"

I can't help with regards to how to control i because I have no idea either, but yes I do it too, and it affects my day to day living.

 

[Judge]

Absolutely. About the only basic way I combat it is to consciously live one day at a time. To literally try as best is possible to consider my existence only within the next 24 hours and not to needlessly look beyond to a precarious future.

Though yes, it's easier said than done.

BTW, I live in relative isolation much by choice. I might appear as a "social butterfly" here, but in R/L I say a few words to store checkers and that's about it.

 

[Southern Discomfort]

I do. I first heard the word when I was in CBT group therapy for anxiety back in 2013. I ruminate all the time. I think of moments where I've been an idiot or done something embarrassing as far back to my childhood, I'm 25 almost 26 now. I feel a sense of downwards pressure on me as I ruminate, I close my eyes and sigh, then it's usually followed by a tic. I know it's bad for me to do it but I haven't the faintest idea on how to stop it! I've begun trying to say something positive afterwards, either out loud or in my head depending on where I am. I have no idea if that's a helpful way to go about it. Might be something to mention to my psychiatrist next and report back.

 

[zurb]

The only thing you can do is 'change the channel' - deliberately choose to think about or do something else. Put music on, sing a song, do something else you enjoy... Problem is, the 'channel' has a tendency to change itself back.

 

[Bro'Freak]

I used to ruminate quite a lot in my younger years. As I look back on those times I see I slowly realised that in the end I had nothing to worry about & I should not ruminate too much. I said that last bit because a looping thought process that if not controlled or noted could cause discolouration/misalignment of ones internal views of the outside world/people. It can be a tricky comfort loop to break out of but the best thing to do I found to avoid such loops was to live the day well & look after all friends & acquaintances. This way I found allowed me to keep my dignity, even if I made mistakes. If I was interested in honour I don't think I'd ever found a way to cut the loop.

 

[dsfu]

Hi. This is a good question. I found that over the years, talking to my mom about it was very helpful in stopping it. Now that she is no longer around and it's just my Dad and I, I am not sure how to stop it. I can try talking to him about it, but he like most, does not like talking about the same thing over and over again. Journaling is the only option I can think of. The doing other things works too, but I agree that the channel sometimes switches back. Does anyone has other ideas that work?

 

[Aspychata]

This is the big bad boy of what we have. I ruiminated so much when l was younger. And l just thought l overthink things way too much.

Coming to this forum help me take responsibility for it. So many others do exactly the same here. My issue was l would spaz out emotionally about things that really weren't true or flawed thing and it serves no purpose.

It helps if you can recognize it and then direct or distract yourself to think differently. Pick up a book, cook a meal, call a friend, or think about something else.