Posted by alexandra_k on August 14, 2005, at 19:49:04
I ruminate a lot (for want of a better thing to call it). Lots of mental pics / feelings. Most especially when I am getting off to sleep or in the small hours of the morning.
Maybe this is wrong... But it feels like it is something that I just have to do. Like dreaming. If you don't get enough dream sleep then after a bit you start to dream when you are awake. If I don't get enough ruminating in then I start to ruminate at inappropriate times during the day.
It used to be worse (I think). I remember keeping a record of how much time I used to spend doing it... Used to be an average of 6 hours a day :-( Just sit there and smoke cigarettes for hours at a time...
I don't think it is quite so bad as that now. Not during the day at any rate. But when my mood goes down then it becomes intrusive again.
My t suggested I keep a journal. Write down the ruminations on the left page. Write down comments (when I am in a good space) on the right page.
She said she uses it for peoples thoughts. Sounds a little too much like cog. restructuring to me... But then I guess it is more bearable doing it for yourself than having a t beating you over the head with it. And it is more about feelings / mental pics than about verbal thoughts at any rate.
I shall give it a go...
poster:alexandra_k
thread:541703
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20050813/msgs/541703.html