Not all negative thoughts are bad. But constantly thinking about negative things can lead to a downward cycle psychology calls rumination.

Rumination is when we have certain thoughts, memories, or ideas, that get stuck in our brain. And trying to relax, unwind, or think about something else can simply make the thought more ingrained.

There's a reason for this, and it's the reason why doing nothing is actually dangerous for rumination.

Get Practical tools for navigating life with depression and anxiety, delivered weekly.
https://mailchi.mp/90ccaf44c876/self-hope-psychology

My book: For When Everything is Burning
https://bit.ly/forwheneverythingisburning 

Organize your day around your mental health goals with Sunsama
https://bit.ly/DrScottSunsama (affiliate link)

The app I use to learn core principles from thousands of nonfiction books in minutes
http://shortform.com/drscott (affiliate link)

Connect with me on TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.scott.eilers

Therapy with me (Iowa residents only)
http://www.northstarpsychcenter.com/

Work with me (Non-Iowa residents)
http://www.drscotteilers.com

00:00 The Frustrating Nature of Brain Rumination
02:51 The Impact of Rumination on Mental Energy Allocation
05:27 Minimizing Rumination Through High-Stimulation Activities
08:09 Engaging the Brain to Combat Ruminative Thoughts1
0:45 Directing Mental Energy for Positive Focus

Disclaimer: This content is not intended to be a replacement for receiving treatment. It is purely educational in nature. My relationship with you is that of presenter and audience, not therapist and client. 

But I do care.

--- 

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/scott-eilers/support

Why Doing Nothing Is Dangerous For Rumination (Default Mode Explained)

There are people who understand depression and anxiety on a personal level and there are people who understand depression and anxiety on a medical level. There are relatively few people who understand both, and I’m one of them. As a clinical psychologist I have a doctorate degree and thousands of hours of professional experience providing treatment for mood and anxiety disorders. I also have 39 years of personal experience managing mood and anxiety disorders as I myself deal with these struggles. This podcast is my attempt to synthesize my personal knowledge with my professional knowledge. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/scott-eilers/support

Health & Fitness

Mental Health

Life is completely overwhelming a large portion of the time.

From all the things you have to do, to the things you need to do, and add in the things you want to do, and they're just no realistic way to get it all done.

Now, instead of allowing that to shut you down and turn to avoidance, I'm going to show you how to turn it into action that helps you ease your stress.

Get Practical tools for navigating life with depression and anxiety, delivered weekly.
https://mailchi.mp/90ccaf44c876/self-hope-psychology

My book: For When Everything is Burning
https://bit.ly/forwheneverythingisburning 

Organize your day around your mental health goals with Sunsama
https://bit.ly/DrScottSunsama (affiliate link)

The app I use to learn core principles from thousands of nonfiction books in minutes
http://shortform.com/drscott (affiliate link)

Mood Bloom games for depression and anxiety (I have partnered with this brand): 
iOS 
https://apps.apple.com/il/app/mood-bloom-therapeutic-game/id6449717065?mt=8
Android
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=hedonia.bloom.mood&hl;=en_US&gl;=US&pli;=1

Connect with me on TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.scott.eilers

Therapy with me (Iowa residents only)
http://www.northstarpsychcenter.com/

Work with me (Non-Iowa residents)
http://www.drscotteilers.com/

Disclaimer: This content is not intended to be a replacement for receiving treatment. It is purely educational in nature. My relationship with you is that of presenter and audience, not therapist and client. 

But I do care.

--- 

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/scott-eilers/support

What I Do When I’m Completely Shut Down By Stress (Psychological Minimalism)

If you deal with any kind of mental health issues - especially depression and anxiety, - excessive phone usage is not helping you, generally speaking.

But there are ways to use your phone to actually benefit your mental health. These 10 tools can help you establish more control of your life and improve your wellbeing.

Get Mood Bloom games for depression and anxiety (I have partnered with this brand): 
iOS 
https://apps.apple.com/il/app/mood-bloom-therapeutic-game/id6449717065?mt=8
Android
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=hedonia.bloom.mood&hl;=en_US&gl;=US&pli;=1

Get Practical tools for navigating life with depression and anxiety, delivered weekly.
https://mailchi.mp/90ccaf44c876/self-hope-psychology

My book: For When Everything is Burning
https://bit.ly/forwheneverythingisburning 

Organize your day around your mental health goals with Sunsama
https://bit.ly/DrScottSunsama (affiliate link)

The app I use to learn core principles from thousands of nonfiction books in minutes
http://shortform.com/drscott (affiliate link)

Connect with me on TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.scott.eilers

Therapy with me (Iowa residents only)
http://www.northstarpsychcenter.com/

Work with me (Non-Iowa residents)
http://www.drscotteilers.com/

0:00 Budgeting & Sleep Tracking Apps 
4:17 Mood-Boosting Games Like MoodBloom
6:43 Online Support & Breathwork
8:58 Fitness, Nutrition & Productivity Tools
12:13 Audiobooks, Podcasts & Community Advice

Disclaimer: This content is not intended to be a replacement for receiving treatment. It is purely educational in nature. My relationship with you is that of presenter and audience, not therapist and client. 

But I do care.

--- 

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/scott-eilers/support

10 Way To Use Your Smartphone To Improve Your Mental Health

You might be (accidentally, unknowingly, unintentionally) making your life worse in a number of ways.


One way is your (internal and implicit) criteria for what is considered a "good day." Your requirements for defining a good day might be ruining your life.


But you can modify these "checkboxes," and I'm going to help you do that.


If you've Lost Hope in Life, I invite you to join me for a live conversation and Q&A; Thursday, May 16th at 4pm est. Here's the link: https://bit.ly/losthopeinlifelive 

Get Practical tools for navigating life with depression and anxiety, delivered weekly.
https://mailchi.mp/90ccaf44c876/self-hope-psychology

My book: For When Everything is Burning
https://bit.ly/forwheneverythingisburning 

Organize your day around your mental health goals with Sunsama
https://bit.ly/DrScottSunsama (affiliate link)

The app I use to learn core principles from thousands of nonfiction books in minutes
http://shortform.com/drscott (affiliate link)

Mood Bloom games for depression and anxiety: 
iOS 
https://apps.apple.com/il/app/mood-bloom-therapeutic-game/id6449717065?mt=8
(I have partnered with this brand)
Android
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=hedonia.bloom.mood&hl;=en_US&gl;=US&pli;=1

Connect with me on TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.scott.eilers

Therapy with me (Iowa residents only)
http://www.northstarpsychcenter.com/

Work with me (Non-Iowa residents)
http://www.drscotteilers.com/

Disclaimer: This content is not intended to be a replacement for receiving treatment. It is purely educational in nature. My relationship with you is that of presenter and audience, not therapist and client. 

But I do care.

--- 

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/scott-eilers/support

How To Have Mostly Good Days (The Happiness Equation)

If you've Lost Hope in Life, I invite you to join me for a live conversation and Q&A; Thursday, May 16th at 4pm est. Here's the link: https://bit.ly/losthopeinlifelive 

I spent years chasing acceptance; it ruined my life.

People rejected me, so I kept lowering my standards. It was the transitive property fallacy - I'm "less than."

This video exposes that toxic thinking, and I layout a better approach to self-worth that might actually work for you.

Get Practical tools for navigating life with depression and anxiety, delivered weekly.
https://mailchi.mp/90ccaf44c876/self-hope-psychology

My book: For When Everything is Burning
https://bit.ly/forwheneverythingisburning 

Organize your day around your mental health goals with Sunsama
https://bit.ly/DrScottSunsama (affiliate link)

The app I use to learn core principles from thousands of nonfiction books in minutes
http://shortform.com/drscott (affiliate link)

Mood Bloom games for depression and anxiety: 
iOS 
https://apps.apple.com/il/app/mood-bloom-therapeutic-game/id6449717065?mt=8
(I have partnered with this brand)
Android
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=hedonia.bloom.mood&hl;=en_US&gl;=US&pli;=1

Connect with me on TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.scott.eilers

Therapy with me (Iowa residents only)
http://www.northstarpsychcenter.com/

Work with me (Non-Iowa residents)
http://www.drscotteilers.com/What's inside:00:00 Struggling to Fit In02:34 Descending the Social Ladder06:27 The Transitive Property Trap09:47 Rejecting the Downward Spiral

Disclaimer: This content is not intended to be a replacement for receiving treatment. It is purely educational in nature. My relationship with you is that of presenter and audience, not therapist and client. 

But I do care.

--- 

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/scott-eilers/support

You’re Worth More Than You Think (Don’t Misuse The Transitive Property)

Insecurity is a universal human experience, not a personal failing. Most coping methods actually reinforce insecurities rather than resolving them.


Embracing insecurities as identity reinforces negative thoughts. Denying weaknesses leads to reality harshly exposing them. Overcompensating through impression management is exhausting.


I'll show you how to overcome insecurity through incremental self-improvement. Facing insecurities through gradual exposure therapy diminishes their power.


Join me for a live conversation and Q&A; Thursday, May 16th at 4pm est. Here's the link: https://bit.ly/losthopeinlifelive 

Get Practical tools for navigating life with depression and anxiety, delivered weekly.
https://mailchi.mp/90ccaf44c876/self-hope-psychology

My book: For When Everything is Burning
https://bit.ly/forwheneverythingisburning 

Organize your day around your mental health goals with Sunsama
https://bit.ly/DrScottSunsama (affiliate link)

The app I use to learn core principles from thousands of nonfiction books in minutes
http://shortform.com/drscott (affiliate link)

Mood Bloom games for depression and anxiety: 
iOS 
https://apps.apple.com/il/app/mood-bloom-therapeutic-game/id6449717065?mt=8
(I have partnered with this brand)
Android
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=hedonia.bloom.mood&hl;=en_US&gl;=US&pli;=1

Connect with me on TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.scott.eilers

Therapy with me (Iowa residents only)
http://www.northstarpsychcenter.com/

Work with me (Non-Iowa residents)
http://www.drscotteilers.com/

Disclaimer: This content is not intended to be a replacement for receiving treatment. It is purely educational in nature. My relationship with you is that of presenter and audience, not therapist and client. 

But I do care.

--- 

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/scott-eilers/support

Why Doing Nothing Is Dangerous For Rumination (Default Mode Explained)

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