Rumination
Repetitive, unresolved dwelling on a distressing thought or event, which sustains rather than processes the feeling behind it.
How it shows up
Rumination is going over and over the same distressing thoughts: replaying a conversation, asking why something happened, rehearsing what one should have said. It can feel like problem-solving, but often circles without arriving anywhere. Research links persistent rumination with lasting low mood and anxiety, while more concrete reflection seems less harmful. It is a pattern of thinking applied to a feeling, which tends to sustain the feeling rather than resolve it.
How it differs from worry
Worry tends to run forward toward what might happen; rumination usually circles back over what has already happened.
Notice
When a thought loops, notice whether each pass brings anything new or simply repeats.
Where it is felt
Felt most in the head and chest.
Based on Nummenmaa et al. (2014), bodily maps of emotions, and related research. The map shows where people report bodily sensation, on average; individual experience varies.