Rumination used to be a major problem for me, and it still plagues me at times. "Rumination" is the term for what a cow does with its food -- chewing the same bit over and over again, swallowing it, then bringing it back up to chew more. Wash, rinse, repeat. Sound familiar?
From the website of the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy center of Los Angeles:
"Rumination is a common mental habit that involves endlessly replaying negative thoughts or feelings, often related to past or future events. Persistent overthinking and repetitive thoughts can take a significant toll on your mental health, leading to an increase in negative emotions, and psychological disorders like anxiety and depression. Although people who ruminate often do so with the belief that they are solving a problem, the reality is they are ensuring their mood remains low by not participating in rewarding activities. If rumination is not actively targeted in treatment, significant research has shown it will result in slower symptom reduction during treatment and can lead to a poorer response to therapy. Because poor treatment outcome is associated with rumination, there are Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) interventions specifically designed to teach people how to stop ruminating."
Here are some tips from their website, and a LINK to delve into it further. I have found working toward minimizing my rumination a huge help in reducing my depression.
Journal.
Distract yourself.
Be mindful.
Make a plan.
Consider new perspectives.
Know your triggers.
Schedule your worry.
Recognize unproductive worry.
See a therapist.