What's happening: You go out for happy hour to blow off steam with your coworkers, but hours later, you don't feel any better.
What to try: Stop co-ruminating, which is the clinical term for venting to the point of obsession.
Talking about your problems at length causes you to dwell on them, which makes you feel low, which makes you complain even more, explains Amanda Rose, an associate professor of psychological science at the University of Missouri. Instead of going out for drinks, brew up a peppermint tea at home—
the scent of peppermint has been shown to decrease anxiety and feelings of frustration.
