Any tips on how to not ruminate?

Sometimes if I feel like I’m going “down the rabbit hole” of rumination, I try to remind myself that it’s a compulsion and do my best to focus my thoughts elsewhere. But, if I find that my brain will ruminate whether or not I give it permission, I just let it do its thing. BUT, and this is important, I consistently interrupt it saying to myself “this is a compulsion”, and even try to name what kind of compulsion it is (self reassurance, checking, scenario twisting, etc). My therapist has said that even if you perform a compulsion (intentional or not), if you can recognize what it is and say “my OCD wants me to think this helped me, but I know it didn’t”, then you’ve still won. The trick is not believing the lie that the compulsions help, even if they’ve already happened. You can always look back and change the story you tell yourself about compulsions, and it sort of “neutralizes” them. Hope that helps makes sense? Rumination is my number one compulsion, it can be really hard. You’re not alone!!

I found this video very helpful on how to stop ruminating. Might be worth checking out for you too. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qUFvvlnCvSg

thank you guys this really helped ?

Yep, baby steps I'm noticing that I'm having the thought that_________ And I'm noticing that I'm having the thought that___________ And now I'm choosing to _________ and best of all it's my choice so no matter how many times I'll get caught up in the rumination I can always come back to my choice . Because it's my choice to stop ruminating . It's not me it's my OCD. But what if it's not ocd ? A. Than I wouldn't have the thought B. I wouldnt notice that I had the thought I'll let you take the leapof faith

I’d like to know as well, haha.