We do experience distressing or angering thoughts upon which we reflect a lot such as upsetting fights or conversations that perhaps lead to romantic breakups. We usually keep thinking about them and also tend to carry on with life. Yet some of these thoughts tend to remain in our heads and on account of which one finds replaying the same scenes over and over again, brooding about them as well as stewing and this can go on for months.
The tendency and the need to brood can be very powerful and these distressing thoughts do often intrude into our minds whenever we are not on the alert. We can find ourselves thinking about them while having a bath or driving to work, contemplating about them about when we are making our dinner and getting all much worked up about them when we are trying to fall asleep.
While this kind of brooding is common, over time, it can also become a habit that also has an extremely damaging impact on one’s physical and mental health.
How does brooding damage our health?
- By spending too much time focusing on negative as well as disturbing thoughts we start looking at our lives in a negative way. Studies have found that habitual brooding does increase the risk of developing clinical depression and of having longer rather lasting depressive episodes.
- Stewing for over a period of time and getting ourselves aggravated as well as irritable does make us more likely to reach out for a drink to get rid of the bad forces. Naturally, one tends to take to alcoholism to overcome brooding over negative thoughts.
- The internal tension does increase on account of brooding which kills us in many ways. We tend to manage our emotions via food and thus develop eating disorders.
- By spending too much time on brooding we tend to become passive and helpless. In one study, women do have a tendency to brood over a lump that may have been found in their breasts thus not taking required action immediately. On the other hand, one who does not brood tends to take immediate action by consulting the doctor if such health issue arises.
- Lastly, over time, brooding cum stewing does increase one’s psychological and physiological stress responses to such an extent that such a situation does put them at the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
Clearly, brooding as well as ruminating is not to be considered harmless habits. They do have a negative impact on one’s physical and mental health. These innocent habits do severely impact one’s long-term physical cum mental health. Nevertheless, brooding is a strong emotional tendency that requires much effort to avoid.
Brooding is common psychological injuries and due to rejection and loneliness, it does create emotional wounds that can also fester over a period of time. One must strive hard to avoid distressing thoughts and improve one’s general disposition. In fact, by battling against these negative thoughts one will become more cheerful and happy over a period of time.