So I’ve been thinking… | The Impact of Thinking on Mood

Have you ever thought about your thoughts? This process of thinking about your thoughts (called “metacognition”) may seem odd at first, but it is actually very important. There is a vast body of research that has indicated that your thinking style has a significant impact on your mood. Lately, I’ve been talking about one particular thinking style quite a bit: rumination. Rumination is the psychological equivalent of getting stuck on a hamster wheel, going around and around, unable to stop thinking about something. People commonly refer to “going down the rabbit hole” of worry and negative thought. It might look something like this:

Hmm, Mom was really short with me on the phone today. I wonder if I said something to upset her? [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][thinking about their phone conversation] I probably could have been more understanding about her job. Did I sound rude when I asked if she’d talked to her boss about it? Did I really listen to her? I think I got distracted by a siren. Oh my gosh, I was totally insensitive. I bet she’s really mad. I better call her back or dinner tomorrow night won’t be fun. What if she’s still mad at me? Dinner is going to be totally awkward. I better call and cancel our reservation…

As you were reading that, you may have felt yourself getting a bit uncomfortable or anxious. You can see how this thinking style frequently leads to low mood. According to Kleiman and Wenzel (2015), rumination “…predicts psychiatric symptoms (especially depression), negative thinking, poor problem solving, lack of motivation and initiative, and reductions in social support” (p. 47). If you can relate to this experience, what might you do to start ruminating less? The first step is awareness. Try to start noticing when you are ruminating. For many people, this process is habitual and happens so quickly that it’s hard to catch it happening until it’s too late. For some, a physical symptom might indicate that they are starting to ruminate (upset stomach, sweating, etc.). Once you’re able to start catching yourself starting to ruminate, don’t tell yourself, “Stop thinking that!” as it will only make the thoughts louder and/or more intense. Do acknowledge that they are there and the unpleasant feelings associated with them. Then take a few deep breaths and use a coping skill; what works for one person may not work for the next, but journaling, talking to a supportive person, and exercise are good places to start.

 

Written by Alexis Anttila, LAMFT

 

References

Kleiman, K., & Wenzel, A. (2015). Dropping the baby and other scary thoughts: Breaking the cycle of unwanted thoughts in motherhood. New York, NY: Routledge.

 

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