What is the brood
The anxious brood (in English, Worry) is a cognitive process characterized by the presence of a chain of repetitive thoughts, mainly negative and perceived as uncontrollable, often focused on uncertain and potentially negative future events.
This process generally originates from negative automatic thoughts form “And if …” (eg. “And if I arrived late”, “and if I made a fool” …).
The sequence of thoughts of the frequent process represents a cognitive attempt to solve the problem. In fact, the chain of thoughts detected often consists of content that alternate “what could happen” / “how I could face it”.
Anxious brood tends to be rigid, repetitive, centered on concernsdoubts, possible future negative scenarios and/or search for possible solutions and therefore associated with emotions such as anxiety and fear.
It is also important to note that it is characterized by an abstract nature: in fact it does not necessarily allow an adequate representation of reality.
Brooding vs. rumination
It is useful to distinguish the brood from rumination (in English, rumination). There rumination It is a cognitive process that has elements of overlapping to the brood (for example, it is a chain of thoughts and can be associated with a similar perception of non -controllability of the process itself). However, it also has significant elements of differentiation (e.g. is oriented to the past And it concerns content typically oriented in search of the causes of a certain problem, a certain state or themes of inadequacy).
Worry And rumination They can be related processes and present themselves in association, but they are distinct. Often the Worry It is more markedly present in anxiety disorders, while rumination in depression.
Also, it may be useful to highlight that some authors consider the existence of a productive mood, therefore not pathological. Unlike the Pathological broodthe productive brood would be merged on some salient characteristics, including:
- It is oriented on a concrete problem and on problems for which it is really necessary and possible to find a solution
- It is more flexible; In fact, the person would have more the perception of being able to control the process, interrupt him if necessary and be able to resort to other faces in the face of
- It is not persistent and excessive for frequency and duration
- it does not have an impact on the subject’s performance and its operating areas
- promotes a more balanced representation of reality, which is not based on catastrophisation
Some negative consequences of the brood
- maintain and feed symptoms of anxiety and other (e.g., muscle tension, insomnia, irritability)
- worsen the ability of attention, concentration and performance, in different areas
- have a negative impact on social interactions and relationships
- worsening the emotional state: it maintains anxiety and brings out further unpleasant emotions
- interfere with the effective resolution of problems
- strengthen the perception that the world is dangerous
- strengthen the belief that the brooding is uncontrollable or harmful
- It is extremely expensive in terms of time and energy required
- As a coping strategy it is often bankrupt for several reasons. For example:
- The person brooding believes to acquire control, but in reality feeds a vicious circle that supports and increases the perception of loss of control itself
- Since the brooding has an abstract nature and based on cognitive distortions such as catastrophisation, it is not useful to provide adequate representation of reality, possible future scenarios and possible solutions to deal with them. So it is not useful.
Conclusions on the brood
In conclusion, the brooding can be considered a common phenomenon, but it becomes useful to stick it clinically when it is intense, frequent, pervasive, perceived as uncontrollable, inflexible (e.g. does not also allow the use of other strategies in the face of the problem, which could be more advantageous or less expensive) or interferes with daily functioning (for example, on interpersonal relationships and/or on school or work performance).
In such cases, the mobble can also contribute to development and maintenance of anxiety disorders. Numerous studies have highlighted that the brooding is not only a symptom of anxiety, but a central mechanism in its genesis and chronicization (Borkovec et al., 2004).
Brooding and anxiety disorders: a circular bond
The brood has been identified as a transdiagnostic process implicated in various anxiety disorders. For example:
- Generalized anxiety disorder (DAG): it is the disorder in which the brooding takes on a central role. People with DAG show a chronic tendency to worry about a variety of daily events and situations, associated with a perception of non -controllability of these concerns (American Psychiatric Association, 2013).
- Panic disorder: the brood can precede or follow panic attacks, feeding the fear of new episodes (McLaughlin et al., 2007).
- Social anxiety: subjects with social anxiety often mull on social benefits and interactions, strengthening the avoidance and negative evaluation of oneself (Clark & Wells, 1995).
Brooding and generalized anxiety disorder
The DAG is a disorder characterized by the presence of Excessive anxiety and concerndifficulty in controlling concern and at least three associated symptoms (including restlessness, fatigue, difficulty concentration or memory empty, irritability, muscle tension, sleep disturbances).
Anxiety, concern and associated symptoms must cause clinically significant discomfort or impairment of operationnot to be referable to the effects of a substance or another medical condition and not to be better explained by another mental disorder (American Psychiatric Association, 2013).
The brooding is an essential process in the DAG structurehelping to generate and maintain anxiety and disorder itself. Recognizing it and acquiring techniques that promote the patient’s ability to contain it is therefore crucial.
An important role is played by the beliefs that the person has on the brood itself (metacredances), for example on its usefulness, uncontrollability and harmfulness.
In addition to the pervasive concern for possible future negative events, in fact, a salient element in the DAG is that the person who is affected perceives the mobble as outside his control. In fact, a central element of the DAG is the “concern about concern“(Meta – pre -strength) for which the patient broods on the brood itself. Also, it is also possible to detect the belief that the brooding is in some way useful, often to prepare to face feared problems.
Treatment
The brooding is a Key factor in anxiety disordersboth as a symptom and as a maintenance mechanism. This is particularly true for generalized anxiety disorder.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), metacognitive therapy and, if necessary, adequate pharmacological support, can be valid therapeutic approaches for the treatment of the DAG.
It is important to consider a therapeutic approach that, on the basis of the specific functioning of the disorder that the patient presents, and therefore of the salient elements of this operation, can consider, for example, psychoeducation, monitoring, cognitive renovation of dysfunctional beliefs and cognitive distortions, behavioral exposure interventions (refraining from implementing the usual avoidance and protective behaviors), Problem-solvingrelaxation techniques.
Understand the role that the brood has for the patient and the metacredances of uncontrollability and danger It is useful for developing effective, efficient and personalized therapeutic interventions.
It will therefore be particularly important to implement a series of specific interventions to act on the brooding, with the aim of for example question the “concern for concern”.
Thus, verbal and behavioral interventions may be useful that can change the beliefs (metacredances) that the patient has on the utility, uncontrollability and harmfulness of the brood itself.
Bibliographic references
- American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, Va: American Psychiatric Publishing.
- Borkovec, TD, Robinson, E., Pronzinsky, T., & Depoe, Ja (1983). Preliminary Exploration of World: Some Characteristics and Processes. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 21 (1), 9–16.
- Borkovec, TD, Alcaine, Om, & Behar, E. (2004). Avoidance Theory of World and Generalized Anxied Disorder. In RG Heimberg, CL Turk, & DS Mennin (Eds.), Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Advances in Research and Practice (pp. 77–108). New York: Guilford Press.
- Clark, DM, & Wells, A. (1995). A Cognitive Model of Social Phobia. In RG Heimberg et al. (Eds.), Social Phobia: diagnosis, assessment, and thirty (pp. 69–93). New York: Guilford Press.
- Dugas, MJ, & Koerner, N. (2005). Cognitive-Behavoral Treatment for Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Current Status and Future Directions. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy, 19 (1), 61–81.
- McLaughlin, Ka, Borkovec, TD, & Sibrava, NJ (2007). The effects of world and rumination on affects and cognitive activity. Behavior Therapy, 38 (1), 23–38.
- Sassaroli, S., Ruggiero, GM (2006). Cognitive psychotherapy of anxiety. Raffaello Cortina.
- Wells, A. (1995). Meta-Cognition and World: A Cognitive Model of Generalized Anxied Disorder. Behavioral and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 23 (3), 301–320.
- Wells, A. (2009). Metacognitive Therapy for Anxiety and Depression. New York: Guilford Press.
