Break the Rumination Cycle: Six Steps to Reclaim Your Mind
Written By Dr. Melissa Jermann
“Mental rumination is one of the most common thinking patterns in OCD and anxiety. It feels productive, urgent, and necessary, but it works against you.”
Mental rumination is one of the most common thinking patterns in OCD and anxiety. It feels urgent and necessary, but it works against you. It’s different from problem-solving or thoughtful reflection because it’s rooted in fear and doubt. Rumination pulls you away from the present moment and keeps your brain stuck in a loop of “what ifs” while trying to achieve certainty. Even though rumination may FEEL important to engage in, it is actually reinforcing symptoms and keeping you stuck in OCD or anxiety loops.
This guide outlines practical steps based on evidence-supported treatment approaches such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). Each step teaches you how to step out of the mental loop and return to your life. Remember, it’s always important to practice these skills with a licensed therapist who specializes in ACT or ERP!
What Is Mental Rumination?
Rumination is repeated, unproductive mental problem-solving. It often sounds like you are trying to understand something, analyze it from every angle, or “figure out what it means.”
While it feels helpful, rumination increases anxiety and reinforces the belief that you must think your way to relief and that you need certainty to keep moving forward. The real skill is learning how to disengage gently and refocus on the present, while embracing discomfort.
Step One: Mindfully Notice the Rumination
Ask yourself: “Am I trying to seek certainty in this moment? Am I caught in a mental loop?"
Rumination often feels urgent, repetitive, and mentally exhausting. You don't need to stop it right away. Your first step is to simply notice that it is happening.
Step Two: Name What Your Mind Is Doing
Acknowledging the process creates distance through defusion.
Try phrases like:
“This is rumination.”
“My mind is looking for certainty again.”
“I am noticing the urge to fix or figure something out mentally.”
Naming the process helps you step back and observe the thought rather than being inside of it.
Step Three: Drop the Rope
Imagine a tug of war with your mind. The more you pull, the harder it pulls back.
The way to win is to drop the rope and stop playing lawyer or detective with your brain.
You do not need to argue with the thought, solve it, or wrestle with its content. You can let the thought be present without engaging with it, like watching a cloud in the sky.
Step Four: Ground in the Present
Shift attention from your mind into the moment.
You can:
Notice your breath or a sensation in your body
Stretch or move
Look at something in your environment
Engage in a small, concrete action
Your anchor is the present moment.
Step Five: Increase Emotional Willingness
Rumination often tries to protect you from feeling something uncomfortable.
Ask yourself: “What emotion am I trying to avoid by ruminating?”
It may be anxiety, shame, guilt, or fear.
Then ask: “Am I willing to allow this emotion to be here with me right now?”
Making space for feeling discomfort stops reinforcing the belief that it is dangerous or that you “can’t handle it” and strengthens your ability to ride the wave of emotion.
Step Six: Redirect Toward Your Values
Once you have noticed, named, and allowed the thoughts and feelings to be there, gently redirect your attention.
Ask: “Which value can I move toward right now even if discomfort is here?”
Choose one small, meaningful action that aligns with your values, and bring the discomfort with you rather than waiting for it to leave.
Remember: This Is Repetition Work
You may need to practice these steps many times throughout the day, especially when OCD or anxiety tries to pull you back into rumination. This is not a failure. This is the practice!
Over time, the urge to ruminate becomes weaker as your brain learns that you can sit with discomfort without entering the mental loop to try and solve it.
© 2025 Dr. Melissa Jermann Psychology Services LLC - All Rights Reserved - Disclaimer: This site should not be construed as therapeutic recommendations or personalized advice. Interaction with this blog does not constitute a therapeutic relationship. This blog aims to provide general information for educational purposes only. It is not intended or implied to supplement or replace the advice of your mental health professional. This information should not be used to self-diagnose mental health conditions. Consult with your mental health provider before implementing anything read here.
