DEALING WITH WORRY
– worry is a way of trying to predict and prepare for future problems (‘what if’)
– challenge your fears of the future to see if they are realistic or likely to happen
DEALING WITH RUMINATION
– rumination involves repeatedly replaying past events (‘I should have said’)
– find closure from rumination by drawing conclusions and learning lessons
DEALING WITH INTRUSIVE THOUGHTS
– cycles of worry and rumination often start with intrusive thoughts
– efforts to suppress thoughts may paradoxically lead to an increase of the thoughts
– intrusive thoughts are best thought of as a form of mental noise
SEE ALSO:
Are You Confusing Rumination with Problem-Solving?
Stuck in a loop of worrying thoughts?
Lean Into Negative Emotions. It’s the Healthy Thing to Do.