THE CONSEQUENCES OF RUMINATION[MENTAL HEALTH]

Let’s try and get a sense of how much rumination may be a problem for you. Think about the last time you spent a lot of time ruminating , or make a mental note to yourself to notice the next time you start. Write down how you felt before you started , and how long you spent ruminating. How did you feel afterwards?

Do you find yourself spending a lot of time thinking over problems, without making much progress? Is this something that you find yourself doing often when you feel sad or down? Does it occur nearly every day , every week, every month?

How long do these periods of rumination tend to last? Is it minutes , hours or days?

What effect does it have on you when you worry or dwell on things? Does it make you feel better or worse?

Does it increase or decrease the chance that you will go through with plans or activities?

You probably have a sense of whether rumination may be a problem that contributes to your depression .

You probably found that when you ruminate , it makes your depression and anxiety worse . This is typical. The most common negative consequences reported for rumination are that it increases anxiety , sadness, and anger, reduces motivation, makes it hard to sleep, interferes with concentration , prevents problem-solving , and makes it hard to enjoy normally pleasurable activities.