Repetitive Thought (Including Rumination & Worry)
Human beings experience a wide variety of repetitive thoughts about themselves and their lives, not all of them negative. Reminiscing, savoring, anticipating, and problem-solving are positive examples of repetitive thoughts, and go some way ot explaining why we have the propensity to engage in repetitive thoughts.
Some types of repetitive thought are unhelpful though, even harmful. Rumination and worry are two key forms of unhelpful repetitive thought and use of these can predict anxiety and depression. They are maintainance factors in conditions such as generalized anxiety disorder and depression.
- Rumination assessment measure download archived copy
- Ruminating thought worksheet
downloadarchived copy - Rumination – from trap to trac download archived copy
- 11 steps to stop ruminating download archived copy
- Dealing with worry in low intensity CBT | Chellingsworth, Farrand, Rayson | 2013 download archived copy
- The how and why of rumination and worry | Watkins |2012
downloadarchived copy - Targeting rumination by changing processing style: experiential and Imagery exercises | Watkins | 2011
downloadarchived copy
- Watkins, E. R. (2008). Constructive and unconstructive repetitive thought. Psychological Bulletin, 134(2), 163-206 download
- Watkins, E. R. (2009). Depressive Rumination and Co-Morbidity: Evidence for Brooding as a Transdiagnostic Process. Journal of Rational-Emotive Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, 27, 160-175 download
- Watkins, E. R. (2016). Rumination-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy for depression. Guilford Publications.
