What Is Rumination and Why Do Our Brains Ruminate?

Have you ever found yourself trapped in a loop of repetitive, distressing thoughts that seem impossible to shake? If so, you’ve experienced rumination — a common mental pattern that can significantly impact emotional well-being. But what exactly is rumination, and why does our brain seem so drawn to it?

Understanding Rumination

Rumination is the process of persistently focusing on negative emotions and problems, often without moving toward a solution (Schoofs et al., 2021). While it’s natural to reflect on life events, rumination becomes harmful when it leads to emotional distress rather than clarity. This repetitive negative thinking is closely linked to conditions like depression, anxiety, and stress-related disorders (McLaughlin & Nolen-Hoeksema, 2020).

Recent studies distinguish between:

• Reflective pondering — deliberate thinking intended to find solutions, sometimes helpful.

• Brooding — passive comparison between the current situation and unachieved goals, which often worsens emotional states (Schoofs et al., 2021).

Brooding, in particular, is associated with higher rates of psychological distress.

Why Does Our Brain Ruminate?

Rumination has evolutionary roots. Early humans needed to anticipate threats and learn from past dangers in order to survive. Today, however, this same survival mechanism can work against us when our “problem-solving” brain gets stuck analyzing emotional pain rather than moving forward (Watkins & Roberts, 2020).

Several factors explain why our brains tend to ruminate:

• Problem-Solving Bias: Our brain believes that if we think about a problem long enough, we’ll find a solution — even if the problem is emotional or unsolvable.

• Negativity Bias: Humans naturally focus more on negative experiences than positive ones, causing distressing thoughts to feel “stickier” (Whitmer & Gotlib, 2021).

• Brain Activity Patterns: Neuroimaging research shows that the default mode network (DMN) — a brain network active during rest and self-referential thought — becomes hyperactive during rumination (Tozzi et al., 2021).

In short, our brains ruminate because they are trying to protect us, even though rumination is an ineffective way of doing so.

Rumination and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Rumination also plays a significant role in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). In OCD, individuals often experience unwanted, intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and engage in repetitive behaviors (compulsions) to reduce distress. However, for many, the “compulsion” is internal — a cycle of mental rumination rather than an observable behavior (Wetterneck et al., 2020).

This form of mental compulsion involves excessive analysis, reassurance-seeking, or reviewing past actions in an attempt to feel “certain” or alleviate anxiety. Unfortunately, just like external compulsions, ruminative cycles reinforce OCD symptoms and make the thoughts feel more intrusive over time (Wetterneck et al., 2020).

One of the most effective treatments for rumination in OCD is Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy. ERP helps individuals confront their intrusive thoughts without engaging in compulsive behaviors — including mental rumination — teaching the brain to tolerate uncertainty and gradually reducing the power of obsessions (Twohig et al., 2020). Through structured, supportive exposure work, clients learn that anxiety naturally decreases without the need for mental loops or compulsions.

ERP is considered the gold standard treatment for OCD and has been shown to be highly effective in breaking the rumination cycle that keeps OCD symptoms alive.

The Impact of Rumination

When rumination becomes chronic, it can intensify mental health challenges. Recent research confirms that rumination prolongs depressive episodes, fuels anxiety, impairs cognitive functioning, and even increases the risk of physical health issues linked to chronic stress (Aldao & Dixon-Gordon, 2020).

Furthermore, rumination affects sleep, decision-making, and emotional regulation, trapping individuals in cycles of worry and sadness without resolution.

Breaking the Cycle

Fortunately, rumination is a habit that can be changed. Evidence-based approaches such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness-based interventions, metacognitive therapy, and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for OCD have proven effective in helping individuals recognize and shift away from ruminative thinking (Watkins & Roberts, 2020; Twohig et al., 2020).

By learning to notice when we are ruminating — and practicing techniques to ground ourselves in the present moment — we can disrupt these unhelpful mental loops and build healthier patterns of coping.

How Well Mind Body Can Help

If you find yourself struggling with rumination, anxiety, or OCD, know that you are not alone — and help is available. At Well Mind Body, our team of highly trained clinicians specializes in evidence-based treatments designed to support your emotional wellness and personal growth. Whether you are navigating intrusive thoughts, persistent worry, or emotional overwhelm, we are here to help you build healthier, more empowering ways of thinking. If you would like to book a session, you can schedule directly at www.wellmindbody.co.

Thank you for being here!

Dr. E

References

• Aldao, A., & Dixon-Gordon, K. L. (2020). Broadening the scope of research on emotion regulation strategies and psychopathology. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 44(5), 758–770. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-020-10125-y

• McLaughlin, K. A., & Nolen-Hoeksema, S. (2020). Rumination as a transdiagnostic factor in depression and anxiety. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 27(2), e12366. https://doi.org/10.1111/cpsp.12366

• Schoofs, H., Hermans, D., & Raes, F. (2021). Reflective and brooding rumination in relation to depressive symptoms: A longitudinal study in adults. Journal of Affective Disorders, 281, 245–252. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2020.11.079

• Tozzi, L., Zhang, X., Chesnut, M., Holt-Gosselin, B., Ramirez, C. A., Williams, L. M., & Gotlib, I. H. (2021). Reduced functional connectivity of default mode network subsystems in depression: Meta-analytic evidence and validation. Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, 6(2), 149–158. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bpsc.2020.08.011

• Twohig, M. P., Abramowitz, J. S., Smith, B. M., Fabricant, L. E., Jacoby, R. J., Morrison, K. L., & Bluett, E. J. (2020). Exposure and Response Prevention: An evidence-based treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 27(2), 221–236. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpra.2019.10.004

• Watkins, E. R., & Roberts, H. (2020). Reflecting on rumination: Consequences, causes, mechanisms and treatment of rumination. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 127, 103573. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2020.103573

• Wetterneck, C. T., Ferrer, M. M., & Chasson, G. S. (2020). Compulsive cognitive phenomena in obsessive-compulsive disorder: A review and meta-analysis. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 70, 102191. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2020.102191