Breaking the cycle of overthinking
How to shift from rumination to self-reflection
In this post I am going to write about how we can keep our minds healthy and stop ourselves from thinking our way to misery.
But first, I need to write about cows.
You’ll probably know that cows have multiple stomachs – or, more accurately, multiple sections of stomach that help them digest the grass they eat. They need this arrangement because when they eat, hey take a mouthful of grass and hardly chew it all before swallowing it.
The first and largest section of the cow’s stomach is called the rumen. It is about the size of a large (210 litre / 55 gallon) rubbish bin. When the rumen is filled with grass, cows then regurgitate the half-chewed food from the rumen, re-chew it and then re-swallow it. They do this over and over again until the grass is digested enough to be moved into the next section of stomach.
We call this process ‘chewing the cud’ or, more properly, ‘rumination. And, it is why cows are classified with other cud-chewing mammals, like sheep and deer, as ruminants.
Of course, we also use the phrase ‘chewing the cud’ when we want to signify a process of mulling something over and, in that sense, the term does not carry any real negative connotations.
But, and this is where we return to the point of this post, what psychologists call rumination is far from good for us.
So while rumination may be good for cows, in humans it is dysfunctional.
Introspection and the inner life
Put simply, rumination is maladaptive form of introspection.
We all have an inner life, comprising our thoughts, feelings, memories, emotions, values, hurt, attitudes, beliefs and so on, and when we contemplate our inner life, we engage in introspection. However, there are two different types of introspection, one of which is rumination and the other self-reflection.
Whereas, self-reflection, can be empowering and drive positive self-regulation, rumination can create negativity, fear, trauma or shame and can lead to diminished levels of well-being and satisfaction with life, as well as depression and other mood disorders.
Given what is stake, therefore, it is worth looking in more detail at what the science tells us about this.
Rumination vs. self-reflection
Rumination
Rumination involves repetitively focusing on distressing feelings, problems, or situations without moving toward solutions. It is a passive process characterised by negative, cyclical thinking. According to Nolen-Hoeksema et al. (2008), rumination is often triggered by stress, anxiety, or depression and involves obsessively thinking about causes and consequences without generating actionable steps toward resolution. Rumination tends to focus on questions like “what went wrong” or “what’s wrong with me”, in a way that perpetuates negative thinking (Nolen-Hoeksema, 2000).
Rumination is often linked to emotional dysregulation and cognitive rigidity. This interferes with problem-solving because when we ruminate, we become stuck in a cycle of overthinking, which inhibits our ability to see new perspectives or come up with solutions.
Self-Reflection
In contrast, self-reflection is a more active, constructive form of introspection.
It involves evaluating past experiences, behaviours, or thoughts with the intention of learning or gaining insight. It is generally forward-looking and aimed at problem-solving or personal growth. Grant, Franklin, and Langford (2002) describe self-reflection as a deliberate process of examining one's thoughts and actions to generate self-awareness and improve future behaviour. The critical point here is that effective self-reflection lead to insight that can drive futire action.
According to Morin (2002), self-reflection involves metacognition—the ability to think about one's own thinking—which enhances cognitive flexibility. By examining, recognising and consciously evaluating our thoughts, we can be intentional in adjusting our mental approach. This helps us with emotional regulation.
Self-reflection also engages the prefrontal cortex in the brain, which is involved in higher-order cognitive functions such as planning, problem-solving, and self-regulation (Davis et al., 2010). This means we can reflect on our behaviour or thought patterns constructively and then make positive changes.
The impacts of rumination and self-reflection
If we look at the outcomes of rumination and self-reflection, the key difference is that self-reflection is goal-directed and often leads to positive emotional outcomes, while rumination is cyclic and tends to exacerbate distress.
Grant et al. (2002) found that when we engage in constructive self-reflection, we are more likely to experience personal growth, improved relationships, and greater overall well-being. If we can take a more objective view of our experiences, self-reflection allows for emotional detachment and clearer thinking. This supports decision-making and behavioural change. I’ve written more on this here.
In contrast, rumination is consistently associated with negative outcomes. Nolen-Hoeksema (2000) found that rumination is a significant predictor of depression, anxiety, and prolonged stress. The cyclical nature of rumination traps us in negative thought patterns, which can impede our ability to take action or view situations objectively.
How can we prevent or interrupt rumination and promote self-reflection?
There is no doubt it can be difficult to interrupt rumination because rumination is an inherently emotionally driven and non-rational process. It is therefore not that helpful to list a bunch of rationally driven steps you can take because, in the moment, the strength of emotion will over-ride reason.
But what we can do is try to recognise when the storm clouds of rumination might be gathering and try to act early or in advance. We can also try to develop some practices and habits that will help us respond more adaptively when we do lose yourself in introspection.
Here are some suggestions which may work for you:
Recognise the rumination cycle: Try to be aware when your thoughts are becoming repetitive, negative, and non-productive. Think about what the signs are for you. Make a list of these signs, because articulating them in writing can help clarify your thoughts.
Interrupt the cycle: Use a mental or physical activity (e.g., taking a walk, deep breathing, reading something absorbing) to break the loop of repetitive thinking. I’ve found that all three of the examples I have given work for me.
Limit ‘what if’ and ‘why’ questions: Try to shift focus your away from unanswerable or self-critical questions that fuel rumination. You can never really know why somebody did something, or what somebody really thinks about what you said. Focus on forward-looking and solution-focused questions instead, like ‘what is next’, ‘what can I do immediately to start to improve things’, and ‘what can I learn from this?’
Practice mindfulness: Focus on the present moment through mindful breathing or grounding exercises. Mindfulness meditation can help you train your mind in the longer term to break the pattern of dwelling on the past or future.
Set time limits on worry: Sometimes you will feel like you can’t simply pivot to positivity without thinking through what has happened. In those cases, you can try to allocate a specific, limited amount of time (eg, 15 minutes) to think about what is troubling you and and then move on to doing something else, rather than thinking.
Use journaling: Write about your thoughts and feelings to gain clarity and distance from your emotions. When you do this, focus on insights and growth rather than blame or self-criticism.
Focus on actions: After reflecting, try to identify specific action steps you can take to improve your situation or act differently in future.
Practice cognitive reframing: These means trying to identify and challenge negative or distorted thoughts as they arise, replacing them with more balanced, realistic perspectives. This is the gold standard and probably the ideal solution, but it takes practice and is often the focus of whole courses of cognitive behavioural therapy. But you can start by working on the other points listed here, because they will help you develop the means to better control your thinking and practice cognitive reframing.
Develop self-compassion: Through all of this, it is important to treat yourself with kindness and understanding. When you’re engaging in introspective thoughts, treat yourself kindness, just as you would treat a friend who was sharing their troubles, hopes or fears with you.
References
Davis, T. H., & Nolen-Hoeksema, S. (2010). The role of the prefrontal cortex in self-reflective thought. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 78(1), 73–88.
Grant, A. M., Franklin, J., & Langford, P. (2002). The self-reflection and insight scale: A new measure of private self-consciousness. Social Behavior and Personality: An International Journal, 30(8), 821-835.
Hamilton, J. P., Furman, D. J., Chang, C., Thomason, M. E., Dennis, E., & Gotlib, I. H. (2011). Default-mode and task-positive network activity in major depressive disorder: Implications for adaptive and maladaptive rumination. Biological Psychiatry, 70(4), 327–333.
Morin, A. (2002). Self-awareness: Theoretical and methodological considerations. Social Behavior and Personality: An International Journal, 30(8), 713–725.
Nolen-Hoeksema, S. (2000). The role of rumination in depressive disorders and mixed anxiety/depressive symptoms. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 109(3), 504–511.
Nolen-Hoeksema, S., Wisco, B. E., & Lyubomirsky, S. (2008). Rethinking rumination. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 3(5), 400–424.
Watkins, E. R. (2008). Constructive and unconstructive repetitive thought. Psychological Bulletin, 134(2), 163–206.
Related Posts
My other posts on stress are here.
My other posts on positivity are here.