Unproductive rumination focuses more on analyzing causes and consequences—such as asking "What did I do to deserve this?" and "Will my life ever improve?"—rather than seeking constructive solutions like "What steps can I take to improve my life?". Dwelling on past problems can lead to negative thought patterns and, when excessive, may trigger or exacerbate depressive episodes.

OCD is often misunderstood, leading to misconceptions that trivialise the experiences of those who live with it. The obsessions are intrusive thoughts that cause significant anxiety, while the compulsions are actions performed to alleviate that anxiety. Common obsessions include fears of contamination, harming others, or making mistakes, while compulsions might involve excessive cleaning, checking, or counting.

A traumatic experience can be emotionally jarring. It is not simple to process what has occurred and to accept it. Following a trauma, it is entirely normal to feel a range of unpleasant sensations and emotions. These may take time to subside. Memories, images, and thoughts about the trauma may intrude on your mind, even if you try to suppress them. These experiences can be frightening. You may question whether you will ever recover from the trauma, if you are losing your grip on reality.

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is linked to intolerance of uncertainty, where those affected react strongly to unknown or unclear situations. Even a small amount of uncertainty can trigger strong reactions in people who excessively worry. This intolerance can be described as the difficulty of accepting the possibility of negative events, even if they have a low probability.