The mental cycle of ruminating and spiraling is destructive. Negative thoughts are common, but obsessing over them isn’t healthy. Learn how to break the cycle and take control over your thoughts for better mental health.

What is Spiraling?

Spiraling, or to spiral out, is not an official mental health term, but it is a helpful description of a particular mental state. Like a spiral slide on a playground, your thoughts and feelings go down and feel out of control.

A more scientific term for this might be poor cognitive control. You struggle to get negative thoughts under your control when spiraling and feel worse and worse.

What Does Ruminate Mean?

To ruminate means to dwell on thoughts. In the context of mental health, it is a harmful habit. Think of rumination as an obsession with negative events or feelings. You said something mildly embarrassing at work and can’t stop thinking about it days later.

The compulsion to ruminate is associated with certain mental health conditions, especially depression and anxiety disorders. Rumination and intrusive thoughts trigger and worsen depressive episodes, impair logical thinking, prevent you from usefully processing difficult emotions, and can make you feel isolated.

Rumination and Spiraling Are Related

If you get stuck in a cycle of rumination, it can lead to spiraling out. You feel increasingly unable to control your thoughts. This, in turn, can trigger more rumination. It’s a harmful cycle, but contrary to how it feels in the moment, you can control it.

How to Break the Spiral Cycle

You might not be able to stop ruminating thoughts completely, but you can manage them and prevent a downward spiraling of your mood and stress.

1. Recognize and question negative thoughts. Recognize your negative thoughts as you have them. Identify them as unhelpful and question them. Was that embarrassing thing you said at work really that bad? Is anyone else thinking about it? Or have they forgotten already?

2. Make a plan. Planning a way to address the issue you’re obsessing over provides comfort. If your work comment hurt someone’s feelings, plan how and when you will apologize. And then do it.

3. Find a distraction. Keeping your mind busy with a task can break the rumination cycle. Do some work, listen to an audiobook while you do chores, take a walk outside, or call a friend for a chat.

4. Rethink expectations. So-called perfectionists are at risk for ruminating. If this sounds like you, try to confront and shift that need for everything to be perfect. It’s unrealistic and unhealthy.

5. Be nice to yourself. Recognize that negative thoughts and self-talk are common human traits. You are not alone in this. You wouldn’t criticize a friend for being too negative, so don’t beat yourself up over it. Instead, do something to change it.

6. Meditate. Meditation is a great way to gain control over thoughts. It will be difficult at first, but with practice, regular meditation will empower you to stop rumination and spiraling in its tracks.

Try the guided meditations on BetterSleep to break the downward spiral. There are hundreds to choose from, including short beginner sessions. Your negative thoughts don’t have to control you, but consider talking to a therapist if these strategies don’t bring relief.