Rumination: Why You Can’t Stop Thinking About It

A Bergen County Therapist Explains Anxiety, OCD & the Loop That Keeps You Stuck

By Dana Colthart, LCSW | Clear Light Therapy – Englewood, NJ

“I just need to figure this out.” If you’ve said that before, you know the feeling. You replay the conversation. You analyze your tone. You question your decision. You try to remember exactly what happened. You review it again. And again. And again.

Hours pass. Nothing changes. That’s rumination.

As an OCD and anxiety therapist in Bergen County, I see rumination across almost every diagnosis I treat, anxiety disorders, OCD, depression, panic disorder, phobias, and even ADHD. People often think rumination means OCD. It doesn’t. People often think thinking harder will solve it. It won’t.

Let’s break down what rumination actually is, why your brain does it, why it makes things worse, and what we actually do about it in evidence-based therapy.

What Is Rumination?

Rumination is repetitive, circular thinking about the same topic without productive resolution. It feels analytical. It feels responsible. It feels necessary. But it’s a loop.

It sounds like:

• “Why did I say that?”

• “What if I made the wrong choice?”

• “What if that means something about me?”

• “What if I hurt someone?”

• “What if I missed something important?”

• “What if I never figure this out?”

Rumination is different from problem-solving. Problem-solving has an end point. Rumination does not.

Is Rumination Only OCD?

No. Rumination is a mental process that appears across disorders.

In Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

Rumination shows up as chronic “what if” thinking about multiple life areas, health, work, family, money.

In Panic Disorder

People ruminate about bodily sensations: “What if that dizziness means something?”
“What if I panic again?” They mentally replay prior panic attacks trying to prevent the next one.

In Phobias

People mentally rehearse feared situations over and over.

In Depression

Rumination often becomes self-focused:

• “Why am I like this?”

• “Why does nothing work?”

• “Why can’t I move on?”

Depressive rumination is strongly linked in research to prolonged depressive episodes. Multiple university studies have found that rumination predicts longer and more severe depressive symptoms because it reinforces negative mood states.

In OCD

Rumination often functions as a mental compulsion. Nathan Peterson, a well-known ERP specialist, frequently explains that rumination in OCD is not “just thinking.” It is an attempt to gain certainty and neutralize anxiety internally.

Intrusive thought → anxiety → mental analyzing → temporary relief → doubt returns.

That relief reinforces the behavior. Different diagnoses. Same loop.

Why Do We Ruminate?

Because the brain hates uncertainty.

Your nervous system believes: “If I think about this enough, I’ll feel certain.” “If I analyze it enough, I’ll prevent something bad.” “If I review it enough, I’ll be safe.” Rumination is an attempt at control. But most things we ruminate about cannot be solved with certainty:

• You cannot guarantee you made the perfect choice.

• You cannot undo the past.

• You cannot eliminate all risk.

• You cannot achieve total reassurance.

So the brain keeps trying. And anxiety increases.

The Data on Rumination

Research from university psychology departments has consistently shown:

• Rumination increases cortisol (stress hormone) levels.

• Rumination prolongs negative mood states.

• Rumination predicts relapse in depression.

• Rumination maintains anxiety disorders.

• Rumination strengthens OCD cycles when used as reassurance seeking.

Studies on cognitive processes in anxiety show that repetitive negative thinking increases physiological arousal, meaning your body stays activated longer. You are not calming yourself by thinking more. You are activating yourself.

Why Rumination Feels Productive (But Isn’t)

Rumination tricks you. It feels like responsibility. It feels like caution.It feels like being thorough.But it rarely creates resolution.

Instead, it creates:

• Increased anxiety

• Emotional exhaustion

• Irritability

• Avoidance

• Compulsive behaviors

• Sleep disturbance

And here’s the key:

The relief you get from “figuring something out” is temporary. That temporary relief reinforces the loop. Your brain learns: “When I feel uncomfortable, I analyze.” That learning makes rumination automatic.

Why Trying to STOP Rumination Makes It Worse

One of the biggest mistakes people make is trying to suppress thoughts. “I just need to stop thinking.”
“I shouldn’t be thinking this.” “Go away.” Suppression increases monitoring. When you try to force a thought away, your brain checks constantly to see if it’s gone. Nathan Peterson talks about this in OCD treatment often, the goal is not to eliminate thoughts but to disengage from the process of trying to solve them. Trying to STOP rumination is like wrestling with quicksand. The more you fight, the deeper you sink.

Rumination as a Mental Compulsion

In OCD especially, rumination is not passive. It is active.

Examples of mental compulsions:

• Replaying conversations

• Reviewing memories

• Mentally checking intentions

• Analyzing feelings

• Reassuring yourself internally

• Trying to “figure out” what something means

Mental compulsions are still compulsions. And they strengthen OCD. ERP teaches response prevention not just with physical rituals, but with mental rituals too.

What Do We Do Instead? (ACT + ERP Approach)

We do not stop thoughts. We shift our relationship to them. This is where ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) is powerful.

Instead of eliminating rumination, we:

• Notice it

• Label it

• Allow it

• Shift attention

• Engage in valued action

Dropping Anchor

One of my favorite ACT exercises for rumination is called “Dropping Anchor.” Imagine there is a sound machine outside your door. Sometimes you hear it. Sometimes you don’t.You’re not trying to shut it off.
You’re not analyzing it. You’re not arguing with it. You notice it… and continue living. That’s how we treat rumination. Not suppression. Not engagement. Disengagement.

Step-by-Step: How to Drop Anchor

1. Label

“I’m ruminating.” “My brain is looping.” “This is my anxiety story.” Labeling creates cognitive distance.

2. Group

“This is uncertainty.” “This is my OCD alarm.” “This is my self-doubt script.” Grouping reduces fusion.

3. Breathe

Slow inhale. Slow exhale. Let the thought exist.

4. 3-2-1 Grounding

3 things you see. 2 things you hear. 1 thing you feel. Shift into your senses.

5. Return to Valued Action

Not to escape. But to live. Text a friend. Return to work. Cook dinner. Go for a walk in Bergen County.
Be present with your kids. The thought may still be there. Like the sound machine. But you are not feeding it.

Repetition Is the Treatment

You will need to do this over and over. Not once. Not twice. Dozens of times a day.Rumination is a habit loop. Dropping anchor builds a new one. Research on attention training shows that repeatedly shifting attention reduces the automatic pull of repetitive negative thinking over time. This is neuroplasticity.

What About Urgency?

Rumination feels urgent. The brain says: “Figure this out now.” But urgency does not equal importance. In ERP work, we practice tolerating that urgency without responding to it.

You can allow:

• Doubt

• Discomfort

• Uncertainty

Without analyzing. That is psychological flexibility.

ADHD and Rumination

ADHD brains also ruminate.

Especially when:

• Hyperfocus locks onto a mistake.

• Emotional dysregulation intensifies self-criticism.

• Task avoidance leads to mental spinning.

ADHD rumination often feels impulsive and sticky.

The same anchor-and-shift strategies apply. Structure helps. Movement helps. External focus helps.

Depression and Rumination

Depression research consistently shows rumination predicts longer depressive episodes. Why?

Because rumination:

• Reinforces negative self-beliefs.

• Maintains low mood.

• Reduces behavioral activation.

The opposite of rumination is not positive thinking. It is behavioral engagement. Action changes mood. Thinking rarely does.

Values Over Rumination

Instead of asking: “How do I stop this thought?” Ask: “What matters to me right now?”

Do you value:

• Being present?

• Being loving?

• Being courageous?

• Being productive?

You can feel doubt and still act in alignment with values. You can feel anxiety and still move forward. That is freedom.

When to Seek Help in Bergen County

If rumination is:

• Interfering with sleep

• Consuming hours daily

• Causing panic

• Driving compulsive behaviors

• Increasing depression

• Impacting relationships

It may be time for structured treatment.

At Clear Light Therapy in Englewood, NJ, we specialize in:

• OCD (including mental compulsions and rumination)

• Anxiety disorders

• Panic disorder

• Phobias

• Depression

• ADHD-related overthinking

We use ERP and ACT to target the process, not just the content. Because the content will change.

The loop is the real problem.

FAQ – Rumination, Anxiety & OCD

What is rumination in anxiety?
Repetitive, circular thinking about a feared outcome without resolution.

Is rumination OCD?
Not always. It appears in anxiety, depression, panic disorder, and ADHD. In OCD, it often functions as a mental compulsion.

Why does rumination make anxiety worse?
It increases physiological arousal and reinforces the belief that uncertainty is dangerous.

Can ACT help rumination?
Yes. ACT teaches disengagement from thoughts and shifting toward values.

Is rumination a compulsion?
In OCD, yes. Mental reviewing and analyzing to reduce anxiety is a compulsion.

How do I stop ruminating?
Don’t try to stop. Label it, allow it, shift attention, and repeat consistently.

Where can I find an OCD therapist in Bergen County, NJ?
Clear Light Therapy in Englewood provides ERP and ACT-based treatment for rumination and OCD.