Mind Drama: The Science of Rumination and How to Outwit Your Inner Defeatist [Audiobook]

An acclaimed science writer explains why we so often become lost in our most self-defeating thoughts and how to transform this brooding energy into something empowering and productive. Why’d I do that? He’s such a jerk! I’m such an idiot! What did she mean by that comment? Ideally, our thought spirals help us process difficult situations and emotions. When they become repetitive, however, they can be highly problematic: your brain is ruminating. And science has shown the degree to which we ruminate, perhaps more than any other mental act, determines our life-long well-being. In Mind Drama, veteran science writer Donna Jackson Nakazawa gets inside the strange magnetism of rumination, explains why we're all doing it now more than ever, and shares the new science for decoding, outwitting, and repurposing this dark mental habit. Using her own ruminative mind as a test case, she walks us through the actionable neuro-hacks that can help us escape unhealthy brooding. A deeply helpful roadmap to the anatomy of self-criticism and unproductive worry, Mind Drama shows us that with practice we can tame our thoughts and repurpose our ruminative tendencies to access our mind’s higher potential for creativity, ingenuity, and insight.