Rumination: Why Some Thinking Helps and Some Keeps You Stuck

In a recent post ("You Can’t Stop Thoughts… But You Can Stop Thinking") I outlined four steps to stoping rumination:

1. Spot the hand-off: Notice when you’ve gone from experiencing an intrusive thought to actively engaging with it. (“I’m mentally investigating again.”)

2. Name it:  Say to yourself: “This is rumination — not helpful.”

3. Drop the pen:  Imagine you’re doing a maths problem, and you literally set the pencil down.

4. Redirect:  Shift attention to an external, physical task — make tea, step outside, feel your feet on the floor.

5. Tolerate the itch: The urge to “just think about it a bit more” will be strong. Let it sit there without scratching it. This is where change happens.

I have been thinking more about this, and I want to elaborate on it here. Because the more I think about it, the more central i see this problem to be to so many mental disorders.

Recently, I listened to a podcast with Professor Leif Kennair (on Evolving Psychiatry) where he made a really useful distinction between pondering and brooding:

• Pondering is when we reflect in a constructive way. We’re curious, we’re learning, we’re trying to solve a problem. It tends to have an end point—you find an answer, or you move on. Think of it as healthy reflection.

• Brooding, on the other hand, is when our thoughts go in circles. It often has a critical or catastrophic tone: “What if I can’t cope?” or “Why am I like this?” There’s no resolution, just more self-doubt and anxiety.

At first glance, pondering and brooding look the same—they both involve a lot of thinking. But pondering in helpful, whereas brooding isn't.

Why Do We Brood?

Kennair and other researchers in Metacognitive Therapy (MCT) suggest that brooding is actually a kind of safety behaviour. We think that if we keep analysing, we’ll prevent bad things from happening or finally get certainty. But the opposite happens: the more we brood, the more anxious we feel. Our brain learns that “endless thinking = safety,” and so the cycle repeats.

MCT focuses less on what we’re thinking and more on how we relate to our thoughts (similar to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and contrary in many ways to CBT). Two common beliefs keep brooding alive:

1. “Worrying helps.” (But does it? Most people realise that hours of worry never bring the clarity they hoped for.)

2. “I can’t stop worrying.” (In fact, people can learn to shift their attention and let thoughts be, instead of chasing them.)

This is similar to Michael Greenberg’s idea of “just stop ruminating.” It’s not about forcefully suppressing thoughts. That backfires. It’s about learning you don’t have to enter the brooding loop in the first place. You can leave thoughts alone.

How This Applies to OCD

For people with OCD, rumination often feels like responsibility: “I need to figure out if this thought means something” or “I have to be sure I’d never do that.” It can feel like problem-solving, but really it’s brooding in disguise.

Learning to spot when reflection tips into brooding is a turning point. Instead of wrestling with thoughts, you practice stepping back. Over time, you discover:

• Not all thoughts need answers.

• Brooding doesn’t protect you—it keeps you stuck.

• You can shift your attention, even if the urge to brood is strong.

So rumination isn’t one thing, it’s two. Pondering can be useful. Whereas Brooding is what fuels anxiety and OCD.

Practical Exercises to Stop Brooding

So how do you stop brooding? Well, it's obviously not that easy. But you don’t have to wait for therapy to start noticing and reducing brooding. Here are a couple of strategies you can try:

1. Spot the Slip: Pondering vs. Brooding

Start by noticing your thinking patterns. Ask yourself:

• Am I trying to solve a real problem or learn something? → Pondering

• Am I stuck in “what if” loops or self-criticism? → Brooding

If it’s brooding, simply label it: “This is brooding, not pondering.” Naming it creates distance and helps you step out of the loop.

2. Leave Thoughts Alone

When you catch yourself brooding, try this:

• Imagine your thoughts as leaves floating down a stream or clouds passing in the sky.

• Instead of chasing them, just observe them and let them pass.

This isn’t suppression. You’re not forcing the thought away; you’re choosing not to enter the brooding loop.

3. Attention-Shifting Practice

Pick a neutral activity and focus fully on it for a few minutes:

• Washing dishes

• Walking outside

• Listening to a song

  The goal is to shift your attention intentionally. Every time a brooding thought pops up, notice it, label it, and return to the activity. Over time, this strengthens your ability to disengage.

  
  

4. Optional Journaling Trick

If you feel stuck, write down your thoughts quickly in a “brooding journal,” then close it. The act of writing can:

• Help you get thoughts out of your head

• Make it easier to leave them alone afterward

• Reduce the urge to ruminate continuously

Final Thought

Rumination isn’t the enemy—brooding is. By noticing the difference, challenging unhelpful beliefs about worry, and practicing leaving thoughts alone, you can reduce anxiety, OCD-related overthinking, and mental fatigue. You don’t need to stop thinking—just stop the cycle that keeps you stuck. With practice, you’ll find your mind becomes freer, clearer, and calmer.