Rumination

Rumination (in psychiatry) is an obsessive type of thinking in which the same topics or thoughts constantly arise in a person’s head, crowding out all other types of mental activity. The patient is usually depressed and feels guilty. Rumination may differ from morbid preoccupation with any issues in that the thoughts that constantly arise in a person are reckless and arise against his will; they often involve disgusting or aggressive feelings about events that took place in the distant past and are accompanied by a loss of confidence in one's memory.

Rumination is one of the most common types of obsessive thoughts, in which patients can constantly return to the same topics or thoughts, constantly think about them, while realizing their futility. Such rumination crowds out other activities, including normal thought processes, and inhibits social activity. During such reflections, the patient may experience feelings of guilt and self-rejection, disturbed sleep and nutrition, and a worsening psychological state. To correct these disorders, it is necessary to establish an adequate daily routine, identify sources of stress, think through ways to rationally resolve problems and learn to cope with their consequences - stress reactions. The task of controlling stimuli is taken on by a specially trained person - a psychotherapist who will help the patient change his attitude towards a crisis situation.

Rumination, also known as anxious thinking (or obsessive-compulsive (OCD) thinking), is a chaotic state of thoughts that occurs on an ongoing basis instead of critically examining problems and making decisions. Ruminators may think about their decisions nonstop, experiencing guilt, confidence issues, or lost memory from holding unresolved issues in their heads. This may be caused by stress, lack of sleep, or other factors that cause emotional instability. If problems associated with obsessive thinking are not controlled and treated, it can develop into an anxiety disorder or pathological depressive disorder.