Rumination

A repetitive, often circular pattern of thinking in which a person dwells on distressing thoughts, questions, or scenarios without reaching resolution. In OCD, rumination is a covert mental compulsion where individuals repeatedly analyze obsessive thoughts, seek mental certainty, or engage in self-reassurance internally. Unlike overt compulsions that are physically observable, rumination is invisible to others and can be difficult to detect even by the person experiencing it. This makes it particularly challenging for both therapeutic intervention and technology-based monitoring.