From Neuroscience News: For Complete Post, Click Here…
ngd- I know this has been true for me…
Once you have depressive symptoms, it’s easy to fall into a pattern where you aggravate the disorder by ruminative thinking.
One of the key issues is what is called negative metacognitions, a phrase that needs an explanation.
“Meta-thoughts—or metacognitions—are the thoughts we think about the thoughts we think,” says Leif Edward Ottesen Kennair, a professor at NTNU’s Department of Psychology, and main supervisor of the current study.
Psychologist and first author Helene Pedersen at Helse Bergen HF explains, “Having thoughts about our own thinking that we’re more or less aware of is pretty common.”
Thoughts about our own thinking are not harmful in themselves. Positive thoughts about our own thinking can lead us to reflect on topics we want to reflect on more often, and maybe even enjoy more. But that can go awry for some people.