How to Stop Rumination: Simple Tools to Break the Cycle
Ever replayed a moment in your head over and over again?
You’re in bed, trying to fall asleep—but your brain won’t stop. That awkward thing you said earlier? Suddenly you're remembering every cringe-worthy moment from the last decade. Or maybe your supervisor asks for a quick chat and your mind spirals into a list of everything you've ever done wrong.
This mental loop is called rumination. And while it can feel familiar, it often keeps us stuck in distress rather than helping us move forward.
What is rumination?
A fictional glimpse into a common experience
The following anecdote is fictitious and inspired by real client stories at Ardelle Psychology.
Ethan, a 28-year-old marketing executive in Singapore, finds himself fixated on a single line he fumbled during a client presentation. Despite the overall meeting going well, his mind keeps replaying that one moment on loop, convincing him he looked unprofessional. By bedtime, he’s spiralling—cataloguing past career stumbles and doubting his capability.
When perfectionism and rumination collide, the mind gets stuck on what wasn’t perfect. Instead of learning from the experience, it fixates on imagined flaws. This is where therapy can offer a helpful circuit-breaker.
Ethan’s story reflects a common pattern: when perfectionism and rumination collide, they feed off each other. The mind gets stuck on what wasn’t perfect, and instead of learning from the experience, it fixates on imagined flaws. This is where therapy can offer a helpful circuit-breaker.
Rumination is the act of repetitive, negative thinking—often about past events, perceived mistakes, or feared consequences. It usually shows up when we feel stressed, anxious, angry, or low.
Unlike reflection, rumination doesn't lead to insight. It loops. And it can keep us feeling helpless or stuck.
Research links rumination to a range of mental health concerns, including:
Even though we know it doesn’t help, rumination can feel hard to stop. That’s because it often feels like we are trying to understand or fix a problem, when it in fact amplifies our emotional pain.
Why Can’t I Just Stop Ruminating?
It’s not a matter of willpower. Our brains are wired to seek certainty and make sense of distressing experiences. Rumination tricks us into thinking we're solving a problem—but instead, we end up:
Rehashing worst-case scenarios
Replaying conversations
Criticising ourselves repeatedly
This can drain our energy, interrupt our sleep, and affect how we show up in relationships, work, and study.
It is hard to simply ignore rumination.
The ABCDs of Interrupting Rumination
If you're caught in a spiral, try this four-step strategy to break the loop:
A – Awareness
Notice when you're ruminating. Ask yourself: "Am I looping on this thought, or solving a problem?" Awareness is the first step toward change.
B – Breathe
Take a few deep, intentional breaths. Regulating your nervous system helps shift you out of a reactive state.
C – Compassionate Self-Talk
Instead of judging yourself, try saying: "It makes sense that I'm overwhelmed right now. I'm doing my best." Rumination is a sign of emotional distress, not failure.
D – Do Something Else
Shift your focus by moving your body or engaging your senses. Activities that use multiple senses—like showering, cooking, or walking outside—are especially helpful in redirecting your attention.
When to Seek Support
If rumination is interfering with your sleep, relationships, or ability to function, therapy can help. A psychologist can support you to:
Understand the roots of your thinking patterns
Build emotional regulation skills
Learn how to respond more flexibly to stress
At Ardelle Psychology, we work with teens and adults who feel stuck in overthinking or perfectionism. Therapy is a space to understand what’s going on beneath the surface and practise skills that help you move forward. If you’re interested, learn more about therapy and what to expect here.
Final Thoughts
Rumination is common. It doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with you. But if you’re stuck in a loop of overthinking, there are practical, kind ways to respond.
With awareness, breathing, self-compassion, and meaningful action, you can start to shift the pattern.
You don’t have to do it alone. Support is available.
FAQs
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They're similar, but rumination tends to be more repetitive, negative, and distress-driven. Overthinking might involve planning or analysis; rumination feels like being mentally stuck.
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Yes, from time to time. It becomes a problem when it’s frequent, distressing, or affecting daily functioning.
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Absolutely. Therapy can help you understand your thought patterns, regulate emotions, and develop tools to break the cycle.
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Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and mindfulness-based approaches are commonly used to address rumination.