How can I stop ruminating thoughts and anxiety?

Question

I was rude to someone during work and now I can't stop obsessing over it, and thinking of how I should have done it different. It's been 3 hours and I can't stop!! How can I stop obsessively thinking about this?

Answer 1

Apologize and try to forget it. You can't change the past but you don't have to do it that way in the future.

Answer 2

You need to stop being a wuss, grit your teeth and get on with your life. If you're attention seeking, you'll get it but then what? I don't know if you are but it sure sounds like it. Anyone with these symptoms who's done any research (including going to medical professionals) would know that it's depression. Stop focusing on how you feel now, take the anti-depressants and find something to actively engage yourself in. Anything, take walks, cycle, follow a course, go to work. You should've been taking the anti-depressants AND getting counselling. The medication is to set a baseline for how you should feel in a short-term capacity and the counselling sets you up for the long-term. If you're not getting counselling, or don't want to, then you need to accept that you're depressed and try to work out why. Do some physical exercise outside the house like walking or cycling. Your first reaction will be "I don't want to" which is fine but what you do next goes a long way to defining what kind of person you are. Will you do it because it's good for you or will you wallow at home and give up. If you want to give up then nothing anyone says is going to help you. If you want to sort this out then don't do all the things that depression drives you to: staying home, dwelling on how awful you feel, etc. The best thing to do is to get counselling but I understand that takes quite a leap for some people which is why the daily exercise will help - it's a step not a solution. The next is to socialise with people who will help you (a support group, a counsellor, etc).

Answer 3

You need to just let it pass. I know I do the same thing, worrying more about how that person thinks of me than what was said.

When I start obsessing I try to think, if the situation happened oposite how would I react. For example if someone had said something rude to me what would I think. Most of the time I wouldn't dwell on it, or would have let it go and not thought on it for that long(if at all). I then figure that is how the person I was rude to is probably feeling.

You did what you did and cannot change it now. Let it go, there is no point in obsessing over it.

Answer 4

Simply apologize. It is amazing how an apology lifts the burden of worry and anxiety for both the giver and the receiver of an insult. That person will also be a lot quicker to forgive. Once you apologize and the air is cleared you may find other ways to handle it again should it ever come up. A clearer mind helps the thought process.

Answer 5

Ah, I know how you feel. You probably have a little bit of OCD, at least the obsession part of it.

Try not to let it get to you. Realize that it's too late to change it now, what's done is done. You can apologize tomorrow. Just look forward to being able to do that, and try and let it go. Don't get stuck on things you can't change! Easier said than done though, I know.

Answer 6

Just think..the person you yelled at may be over it and not even thinking about it. So..By you thinking about it all the time it's not going to solve anything. Heres what you do: Write down in your journal (or whatever) what you would do from this situation next time and learn a lesson from it. Put the journal away and file it away mentally. Poof! your over it and not driving yourself crazy anymore. Good luck and happy thoughts!

Answer 7

check out holisticonline.com for advice. walking helps

Answer 8

find something else to think about.