When does thinking become ruminating?

It’s worse in the wee mall hours.

*small

What is rumination....Imshall have to google it

iI enjoy ruminating - and thinking.

Ruminating is a laid back, relaxed way of thinking, Cows chewing the cud are described as ruminating, that is where the human application of the word comes from.

Have I mispelt it? Is everybody having a bit of a laugh?

The process of continuously thinking about the same thoughts, which tend to be sad or dark, is called rumination.

A habit of rumination can be dangerous to your mental health, as it can prolong or intensify depression as well as impair your ability to think and process emotions. It may also cause you to feel isolated and can, in reality, push people away.

I think any dark thoughts or worries can be worse at night.

I suppose it depends on what the thoughts are.

Every now and again my mind ‘invites me’ to follow down a pathway that 12y on from the recession I still find difficult.

So I don’t go there.

Mentally I say ‘no thank you’ (we do have a choice not to be overwhelmed by events we cannot change) and mentally I close that open door. Nope, not going down there (for my sanity).

When chewing the cud relentlessly keeps you from other activities that need tending, it's become a problem ..

Urmstongran
I say "go away" I find it works ?

Obsessive ruminating: running a mental loop of negative issues, over and over, again and again-

Ruminating: chewing on a carrot and wondering why vegetables don't view vegetarians as threat ..

I ruminate a lot too inkcog. Mostly with anxiety over something. Better to try and make yourself think of other things or try and stop. If they are worrying or as you say dark thoughts try and keep occupied on something to distract you.

inkcog When I ran support groups, this was a problem attached to the specific issue involved but the rememdy works for most people.

Devise a mantra This can be anything from "I love my children" through to a religious utterance, or the line of a poem or favourite song.
It should be short and something with pleasant connotations.

Device a visual This is not always necesary but it seemed to help a lot of my clients.
Imagine a place where you are most at peace: a garden, on a beach, in a church, sitting in the park. Wherever you would find pleasure. It doesn't need to be an actual place but I found it easier, when I was practising, to keep a real, known-to-me place in my mind.

Having thus equipped yourself, when the dark thought come, middle of the night or anytime, this is what you think of and say, aloud or in your mind, repetitively.

What this does, is teach your brain that as soon as negative thoughts come in, you have a way of pushing them out. The brain learns this (it is the most amazing organ and can be taught and re-taught new pathways) and it click into 'positive' very quickly once you've practiced a few times.

I’m a bit of a ruminator and somewhat agree with BradfordLassMy latest mantra is ‘beware of self pity’ I’ve been repeating it to myself a lot lately when my mind starts whirling. It’s seems to work.

Bradford Lass Thank you for sharing the advice. I will try that.

Ruminating is very harmful if it prevents you from sleeping properly, the cure is make a positive decision. I have be troubled at times by it and find wether it is a personal or business decision deciding which alternative to take makes a big difference

Don't you have to have 2 stomachs to ruminate? That's why cows do, horses and humans don't, although some humans I've met sound as if they have three!