Is There A Relationship Between Depression And Rumination?
¿There is a relationship between depression and psychological rumination (the tendency to have recurring thoughts that we cannot get out of our heads)? Various studies have attempted to reveal the answer to this question. In this article we bring you a theory that explains in detail the relationship between depression and a ruminative style, Susan Nolen-Hoeksema’s theory.
In addition, we resorted to a review that analyzes the conclusions of 59 functional neuroimaging studies, and we specify the results they reached on this issue.
Relationship between depression and rumination: the Nolen-Hoeksema theory
If we investigate within the group of explanatory theories of depression, we find one of them that establishes a relationship between depression and rumination. This is the theory of response styles, proposed by Susan Nolen-Hoeksema (1959 – 2013) in 1991. Nolen-Hoeksema was an American professor of psychology at Yale University (United States).
Specifically, what Nolen-Hoeksema says in his theory of response styles is that there are certain factors that determine the course of depression; These factors have to do with the way in which the subject responds to the first symptoms of depression This response, also called “ruminative style,” influences how long the depression lasts and how severe it is.
Thus, to be even more specific, the author explains that a ruminative response style in depression maintains or exacerbates its symptoms.
That is, according to this author, the relationship between depression and rumination is the following: rumination of depressive symptoms makes depression chronic, in addition to exacerbating its symptoms on certain occasions The opposite occurs with an active style based on distraction or problem solving.
Ruminative response style
But what is a ruminative response style? It consists of the mental process of focusing our attention on the symptoms of the disorder and their implications for us, without doing anything to alleviate these symptoms.
That is, it is a process from which coping strategies are not implemented; In simpler words, It is about “turning things around” without stopping thinking about them , worrying about them, without taking care of them or doing anything to change them. It would be like “going into a loop”.
On the other hand, the author of the theory that postulates a relationship between depression and rumination, attributes the origin of the ruminative style to childhood learning through modeling (through models, for example parents, who also manifest a ruminative style), added to socialization practices that do not provide the person with a repertoire of more adaptive behaviors, necessary to cope with depression. Thus, these two factors would explain the origin of the ruminative style.
How does rumination influence depression?
S. Nolen-Hoeksema goes further with his theory to understand the relationship between depression and rumination, and proposes a series of mechanisms that would explain the negative effects of the ruminative style on depression. What are these mechanisms? These are four:
1. Vicious circles
The first mechanism that explains why a ruminative style in depression has negative effects for the person has to do with vicious circles, which occur between depressed mood and negative cognitions
Thus, we enter a “loop” in the following way: our mood is depressed, which affects our thinking with more negative cognitions; In turn, these cognitions increase depressed mood (and both elements feed into each other).
2. Failure to generate effective solutions
On the other hand, another mechanism that explains the relationship between depression and rumination is the decrease in effective solutions to day-to-day problems.
That is, we generate fewer effective solutions to problems (or even none), since Instead of thinking about these solutions, we ruminate on the problems (ruminative style)
The fourth of the mechanisms that allows us to understand the relationship between depression and rumination is the interference that occurs with instrumental behaviors that would provide us with positive reinforcement as well as a feeling of control.
That is, the ruminative style makes the appearance of these behaviors difficult (or interferes with their functioning), in addition to preventing the feeling of control necessary in depressive disorders and that would allow us to progress within the disorder.
4. Weakening of social support
Finally, there is a weakening of social support, which translates into rejection by others, or even criticism of oneself
This is logical to understand since, when our interpretation of reality and our coping mechanism in life are based on a constant ruminative style, in the end the people around us get tired of these behaviors and move away, because they see that they do not We do nothing to deal with depression (not seeking help, not relativizing things or giving them the importance they deserve, not recognizing that we have a problem…).
Research and results
Following Susan Nolen-Hoeksema’s theory, which supports a relationship between depression and rumination, a series of experimental studies on ruminative responses were carried out. Their results were as follows.
1. Type of powers
People with a ruminative style make a greater number of negative and global attributions to everything that happens to them (that is, causal attributions).
2. Accessibility to memories
The accessibility to negative memories in this type of people is greater than in people without a ruminative style.
3. Pessimism
There is pessimism and a negative interpretation of reality that is biased in people with a ruminative style in the context of depression.
4. Poor interpersonal solutions
Finally, these people generate poorer, therefore less effective, interpersonal solutions (for example in the face of a conflict with another person).
Scientific review: what does neuroscience say?
Beyond S. Nolen-Hoeksema’s theory of ruminative style, to understand a little more about the relationship between depression and rumination, we have turned to a scientific review carried out in 2016 by Rayner, Jackson and Wilson, which analyzes the findings of up to 59 functional neuroimaging studies in adults with unipolar depression
This review also analyzes the relationship between the brain networks involved in cognitive processes during a depressive disorder and the symptoms of the disorder. Specifically, analyzes the relationship between the abnormal functioning of these brain structures and depressive symptoms
Results
The results of this review indicate that there are two different neurocognitive networks that can largely explain the symptoms of depression. These two networks are: the autobiographical memory network (AMN), and the cognitive control network (CCN).
Specifically, what was found through this review is that the hyperactivity of the first network, The autobiographical memory network is related to three types of symptoms in depressive patients : rumination, self-blame and pathological parenting.
On the other hand, it was found that hypoactivation or abnormal functioning of the other network, the cognitive control network, is related to the following symptoms in this type of patients: negative automatic thoughts (Aaron Beck’s famous “PAN’s”), cognitive distortions and low concentration.
Furthermore, it should be noted that the configuration of these networks can be modified over time in people ; this is also related to a variation in depressive symptoms over time (i.e., a fluctuating course of depression).
Neurocognitive networks and depression
According to this review, we can say that depression, in addition to being a multifactorial disorder, where biological, social, psychological factors intervene… could also be framed as a disorder of neurocognitive networks, which links neurobiology with psychiatric practice.
This can be of great help to researchers, doctors, psychologists, etc., and open a path from the perspective of neuroscience, which helps us understand and treat this and more mental disorders in the future.
