How I cope with intrusive thoughts and rumination

Topics mentioned: intrusive thoughts, rumination

About: Sashal shares her experience with intrusive thoughts and rumination, and offers practical tips for taking back control of your mind and finding peace.

Have you ever felt trapped in your own mind? Going around in circles and not reaching any solution? You’re not alone.

I’m 20 years old, and ever since I was about seven, I’ve had periods of obsessive, intrusive thoughts and rumination. I’ve constantly felt like I’m fighting myself in my own brain, turning a place that should feel safe into one filled with conflict and distress.

For anyone who believes there isn’t a light at the end of the tunnel, I’m living proof that there is always a way to survive the mental turmoil. Even if the noise never completely disappears, there are ways to take back power. Your thoughts are powerless without a controller.

For those who don’t know, rumination is the toxic cycle of repetitive, negative thinking. It often involves becoming hyper-fixated on certain thoughts, feelings and their causes. It’s as if your mind keeps digging further and further to find a solution, only to be left in an endless rabbit hole.

Your thoughts cause havoc in your mind and end up holding you responsible. You start blaming yourself and wonder what kind of person you are for having these thoughts. This kind of thinking reduces your identity just to that thought, which is awfully damaging. Here’s an example:

Rumination makes you overthink past situations or memories. Instead of processing and accepting what really happened, you end up in a nasty cycle, focusing only on the negative parts and searching for a solution in nothing but a pile of misery.

It doesn’t allow for new or positive perspectives but keeps you in the same negative mindset. Reflecting on the reality of the situation, however, can lead you towards understanding and growth.

Here are some examples of ruminative thoughts and the more realistic perspectives that can replace them:

So here’s the most important part: how can you stop yourself from being trapped in this toxic cycle? The first step is realising that you can take back control of your mind.

I can’t promise a magical solution, but here are some small steps to help you move in the right direction:

Finally, know that you deserve to be happy. Life is meant for enjoyment, not just survival. So take back control, and let go of the things that don’t serve you.