Rumination can contribute to the development or worsening of mental health conditions.
The more you ruminate, the more youre likely to continue.
Someone who is ruminating feels bad now, and is more likely to feel bad about their past.
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That makes them feel more despondent about their future, and thus more likely to ruminate.
This is healthy emotional processing, also known as emotional regulation.
Because of this, rumination can cause or contribute to mental illnesses or make existing conditions worse.
Rumination can also impact physical health (which, in turn, can impact mental health).
Studies have shown that heavy rumination can lead to inflammation.
Ruminating can also lead to insomnia, which can make it hard to regulate emotions.
Conditions Linked to Rumination
Anyone can find themselves ruminating occasionally.
Ruminating With Others
Co-rumination is when you ruminate with close friends or family.
This can be a way to process trauma or negative events, but it can easily become unhealthy.
These steps may help:
Summary
Rumination is a pattern of negative thoughts.
Thats not always easy, however, so working with a mental health professional can help.
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