Ruminating

[ACE]

The last few days i've been having very severe rumianting where usually I was doing quite fine,I know I can stop it but I've felt lately again I've been in this negative cycle again& have struggled quite a bit to pull myself out of it.I've been trying I've had some fine moments but also have struggled quite a bit& I know I can do it but I've also felt I've just found it quite difficult.Have any of you guys found anything that has helped in challenging this at all? Thanks very much :original: .

[Guest Zorro]

I think recovery needs to be holistic. That is you change things in your life that aren't going to assist your recovery. So apart from just changing your responses to unwanted thoughts,impulses and/or images, you could change things to do with your diet, people in your life, work, study, past times, sleeping patterns (humans are apparently best off having 2 sleeps a day, so a siesta (at the correct time) is beneficial, or any other areas that perhaps could do with a change. Obviously everyone will be different re what areas of their life do or don't need changing.

[ACE]

Thanks a lot for your reply very much appreciated Zorro :original: ,I've been trying very hard to make changes to my lifestyle trying to stay off alcohol which has been quite positive,trying to change my diet is getting better I have to say,trying to get into more physical activity still needs some work,I have much better sleeps now,I don't usually ruminate anywhere as badly as I did when I was really depressed only for some bad moments here&there really :original: .

[taurean]

Hi ACE

My therapist gave me a concept to use which is going well for me - and its called ACE - achievementd, closeness to others and exercise!!!

The idea is to encourage us to stop wuallowing in self-pity and negativity and start doing things to help.

So each day we look for beneficial achievements and gradually look to incease our daily score out of 10.

Secondly we look to engage beneficially with other people and increase our daily score ouf of 10.

Finally we look to do the same with exercise.

Another idea is REDS - we look to improve our record of relaxation exercise diet and sleep - all helpful things.

Finally we look into and apply the basics of positive thinking without, of course, neutralising.

Edited March 28, 2015 by taurean

[ACE]

Thanks very much Taur I really appreciate what you say :original: ,I know I have the ability to do it I've done it&have been doing it,I think for e.g the last few days has maybe been some blip where I've been caught in some bad ruminations where I've been able to get myself out of using the usual helpful strategies I know.I just have to keep on doing usually what has helped me I think,what you've said& try my best to resist getting into those ruminating negative obsessive patterns of thinking :original: .